X men Origins
by Bushido Brown1236
Summary: an AU fic dealing with the foundation of the x men,and their battle against Magneto.R&R if you don't mind.
1. Chapter 1 Intro

-1

Author's note

I don't own Marvel or any of these characters yadda yadda yadda….

"RAAAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

An angry, guttural cry of primal rage and anguish tore through the night, the sound was animalistic, _inhuman _even. Nearly consumed by this unholy sound, came a second more submissive one. Barely audible, they had to almost strain their ears to hear it, but once they did it was unmistakable. Without words, it spoke to them of pain, regret, sadness, and finally death. And despite its reticence it echoed eerily through the night, until the darkness and the very nature of the forest absorbed its emotion, and rendered it mute. Everything was still…

"D-D-Did you hear that sir?"

"Yeah I did," responded the Captain, while noticing that the soldier was trembling. Normally he would have chided any of his men for showing fear, but in this situation he had to acknowledge the fact that he too was afraid.

"What was that?", sputtered the young soldier, "Was that our objective?"

Hesitating for a moment the Captain turned slightly and looked at each of his men. There were only six of them, and despite the fact that their faces were masked by camouflage paint, he could still see the fear in their eyes. He sighed, they were still just kids, he thought.

"Yeah, that's our boy." he finally said in a weary voice.

"Si-" one of the men began, but before the he could speak, the Captain raised his hand to cut him off.

"Look, I'm not gonna lie to any of you," said the captain taking time to look them each in the eyes, "Things up ahead can get _real _bad real fast." he paused for a second to let these words sink in before continuing, however before he could finish one of his men interrupted.

"We know Captain, and we're gonna stick with you no matter what." said the soldier while he cocked his weapon as a sign of readiness. Seeing this display of resolve the other soldiers too cocked their weapons, and faced the Captain.

Moved by his soldier's commitment, the Captain turned on his heel to the face the objective, and uttered only two words.

"Move, out!"

Bayville Mall, more specifically the food court. A place packed with burger joints, sub shops, and even a veggie store or two. But the one thing the mall had in particular abundance was _teens_.

Everywhere, shopping, talking, trying to look cool, you just couldn't escape the fact that for teens the mall was like an anthill, thought Bobby Drake. "But still I can't complain,"

Bobby thought, "If I hadn't come here to buy that stupid drill for my Dad, I never would have ran into Judy." Judy Harmon was pretty, popular, cheerleading captain, and a _senior_. The fact that she had asked the fourteen year old to come sit with her and her friends was nothing short of a miracle.

But Bobby had to hand it to himself. Even if he was just a freshman, he was a damn cool one he thought. No other freshman could've pulled this off, definitely not Jamie Madrox, that guy was a klutz, thought Bobby.

Smiling to himself he picked up a French fry tossed it in the air, and caught it between his teeth, and then swallowed it whole. The girls all laughed and applauded, and catching Judy's eye Bobby said,

"You think that's something, just wait 'till I really get started." and with the sexiest look he could muster Bobby grabbed two fries, closed his eyes and tossed them behind his back up into the air. Before they could descend into his waiting mouth, an all too familiar rough hand snatched them out of the air.

Sensing something was wrong, Bobby opened his eyes, and was greeted with the sneering face of the worst possible guy that could show up, Rocky Beasley.

"Hey shithead," said Rocky, "Havin fun?"

Now, Rocky was naturally a big guy, and years of football and steroid usage had increased his already mammoth physique. Great just great, Bobby thought how was he going to get out of this one. He knew he should be scared of Rocky, or rather what Rocky could do to him, but seeing the disgusted look on Judy's face, he decided to throw caution to the wind and open his mouth.

"Hey Rocky you know-"

2 minutes later

Why did he have to throw caution to the wind? He barely had time to think of this, because Rocky landed another hit into Bobby's already bruised ribs and ego.

"What the hell did you call me!?" said Rocky while hoisting Drake up by his shirt, readying another punch.

"Just leave him alone Rocky!" Judy shouted as a crowd of people steadily gathered round them.

"Shut up Judy!" Rocky answered savagely. "I'm gonna teach this little shit not to disrespect me!" Then with all the strength of that quarter back arm of his Rocky cocked back and landed a crushing punch straight into Bobby's face.

Bobby was dead. He was sure of it, it felt like his whole head had been split in two. People say when you get hit hard like Bobby did, you see stars, not Bobby, his vision was obscured by a blinding white light. For a moment he just laid on the linoleum, not aware of anything, but after a little while his senses returned to him. For the second time that day he was greeted with the sneering face of Rocky Beasley.

"Had enough yet?" panted Rocky, "Next time I see you with Judy you'll be usin' that smart mouth of yours to kiss my ass!" He wiped Bobby's blood off his hands and then strutted towards Judy.

Bobby wanted to just stay down, Bobby _should_ have just stayed down, but something wouldn't let him. Maybe it was the concussion, or maybe it was a desire to prove that he wasn't just some weakling that could be kicked around, whatever the cause Bobby Drake stood up on shaky legs leaning on a chair for support.

"Hey Rocky," Bobby heaved tasting blood with every word. "You want me to kiss your ass, well kiss this first!" he shouted, and without waiting for Rocky's answer Bobby snatched up the chair that was steadying him and ran headlong at Rocky chair in hand.

"What the-" Rocky started to say, but before he could react Bobby had brought the chair violently down on his head. Bobby felt the chair connect with it's target, he didn't see it because he had his eyes closed the whole time. After a moment he opened them. And to his dismay for the third time this day he was staring back at the face of Rocky Beasley. Except this time he wasn't sneering, Rocky's face wore a pronounced scowl, and a small trickle of blood from the side of his head.

"You little shit…." whispered Rocky.

"Oh crap," said Bobby

Before he could think to swing the chair again Rocky's muscular hands were wrapped around Bobby's throat, and this time Bobby was sure he was going to die. Judy screamed again, something about the cops coming ,but Bobby was barely conscious and he heard none of this. He felt himself slipping and his vision began to blur. At the same time Rocky's face was contorted in rage, and concentration, but of all of a sudden that expression turned to confusion and then into terror.

"W-What the hell are you doin' Drake!?" shouted Rocky in fear. Bobby didn't know what he was doing. All he know was that instinctively in his last moment of consciousness he had desperately grabbed Rocky's wrist with his hand. He didn't know what he expected that to do, but it certainly wasn't _this._

From his hand had come a cold chill, and that chill had turned into a bitingly glacial blast of cold. That cold quickly stretched up Rocky's arms and then his shoulders, spreading across his whole body, freezing him in place. Once it was finished Rocky resembled a life size ice sculpture.

Upon seeing this the crowd became instantly silent, and they all stared captivated and terrified at Bobby, who for the life of him couldn't figure out how he had frozen the biggest bully at Bayville High. Before he could further contemplate this the silence was broken by a scream.

"What are you?!?!?!" shrieked Judy completely losing her head.

"Judy I-" Bobby said lamely trying to free himself from the frozen grip of his former tormentor. Instead all he could was reach his hand out towards her. At this everyone in the crowd backed away including Judy who screamed "Keep away from me freak!!" and ran off with her girlfriends.

This left Bobby with a feeling of betrayal, and humiliation, especially considering his was still hanging several inches off the ground. While attempting vainly to free himself Bobby saw out of the corner of his eyes two police officers running toward him, not mall cops but real cops with real guns Bobby thought! They stopped just short of the scene and unholstered their weapons.

"H-Hey wait a sec!" stuttered Bobby in fear.

The police also afraid cocked their weapons and aimed at non-lethal areas.

Before they could shoot however the entire food court was bathed in several blinding flashes of light, almost like fireworks. While Bobby was pondering what caused this, two dainty hands had yanked him from Rocky's grip, accidentally breaking off one of the fingers.

"Oops," a female voice said guiltily, "But they can like reattach it it's still frozen."

"Come on we gotta go!"

Looking around bewildered Bobby said "Where are you I can't see a thing!?"

"Here grab my hand!" without waiting for Drake to acknowledge her the girl grabbed him by the hand and together they ran out of the food court. After a few moments the lights subsided and Bobby found himself running beside a petite Asian girl, about a head shorter than him with long black hair.

"Who are you?" was all that he could manage to say while running at top speed.

"My name's Jubilee," and with a backwards glance to Bobby who was slightly behind her she said "And I know this mall better than anyone you'll ever meet." with a mischievous smile she began to pick up the pace and was soon several lengths ahead of Bobby. This girl's fast he thought.

"Hey wait up!" Bobby shouted and tried to catch up.

Meanwhile a girl with vivid scarlet hair had just stepped out of the Gap on the second floor of the mall, and happened to look over the balcony. Below her was what appeared to be a young boy being throttled by an ice sculpture. Before she could assess the situation, a blinding flash had obscured her vision. When her sight returned the boy was gone. Dropping her bags she placed her hands at her temples, closed her pine colored eyes and thought.

"Professor, I think we have a problem at the mall."

A moment later a voice responded.

"I know Jean, I sensed it too, Ororo and I are on our way."

Opening her eyes for a second Jean saw three more police officers arrive. They then separated into two teams and hurried off.

"And professor, you need to make it fast!"

End chapter 1

Well everyone that was chapter 1, hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Stay tuned for chapter 2 which should be up real soon.


	2. Chapter 2 Savage Instincts

Author's note

I appreciate all the good feedback on Chapt. 1 Hope you like this one as well, oh yeah I don't own any of these characters, property of Marvel etc. etc.

Sprinting faster than he ever could have dreamed possible, a thousand things were running through the mind of Bobby Drake. How did he manage to turn the starting quarter back for Bayville High into a popsicle? Who was this girl Jubilee, and why was she helping him? However, the thing that lingered most on Bobby's mind was the repulsed expression Judy wore, when she stared at him.

"Hey, freezer-burn, wake up, your pals from earlier are payin' us a visit!" said Jubilee snapping Bobby out of his reverie. And sure enough about twenty feet ahead of them were three agitated police officers.

"My name's Bobby," he said slightly defensively, "And what do you expect me to do about them!" They both stopped where they were as the police advanced on them slowly holding handcuffs, and nightsticks aloft.

Rolling her eyes , and turning to face Bobby with her hands on her hips Jubilee said in an exasperated tone, "I don't know, can't you just ice them or something'?!"

"I don't know how I did that!" yelled Bobby losing his head slightly and pointing back to the food court. "Can't _you_ just do that firework thing again!?"

Oh brother, Jubilee thought, not only was this guy useless, but he also had a smart mouth.

"You know I can see why that big guy was gonna kick your butt!" said Jubilee unpleasantly.

Bristling with embarrassment and blushing slightly Bobby hastily retorted, "I was doin' fine until you blew the guy's finger off!"

"Oh yeah blame it on me! It's not _my _fault that you fishsticked that guy!!" answered Jubilee vehemently.

Before Bobby could respond however, the lead police officer had advanced towards them nervously holding his baton.

"Y-You kids just put your hands up and come w-w-w-with us." he said shaking.

"Okay officer," Jubilee said with a roguish grin, and as she raised up her hands Bobby caught her eye giving him the tiniest of winks. At the last second he caught on and tightly shut his eyes. Even so the brilliance of Jubilee's lightshow still managed to penetrate his eyelids, like the morning sun seeping through tightly drawn drapes.

When Bobby decided it was safe, he opened his eyes and was shocked to find all three of the officers laid out on the floor.

"Oops, might have put a little too much juice behind that one…." said Jubilee guiltily. Looking left and right Jubilee scanned the area for an exit.

"There!" she exclaimed, pointing at a store labeled _Petite Fashions_.

"You've got to be kidding." Bobby thought even looking at the stores frilly pink sign, and display made him want to vomit.

"It's either that or jail," said Jubilee simply before running into the store without waiting for bobby.

Smiling despite himself Bobby ran into the store too noticing the police starting to stir.

"Hey, wait up!"

The forest was alive. It's inhabitants had never seen a creature such as this before. He _looked_ like a man, he certainly had all the characteristics of man. The bipedal structure , the almost clumsy way of walking, yes he definitely looked like a man.

But, there was something else. Something not quite human about him. It wasn't just his appearance though, it was his aura, his presence, his tone. This man, if you could even call him that, exuded animalism from every pore of his furless, naked, blood soaked body. There was a certain savagery with his movements, quick and volatile, the animals recognized the fact that this enigma, this fascinating creature was not the hunter. Oh no, this man was prey.

He stopped suddenly. Sniffing the air and jerking his head left and right, his lip curled and a low growl escaped his parched throat.

"Six of em'" he thought. Three marching towards him from directly behind, and three attempting to flank him from the right. Years of military training and warfare tactics taught him that a squad like this wasn't for recon. They could only be here for one reason.

Search and destroy.

This time a much louder growl came from his mouth, and he actually bared his teeth a little. "Cool it, Logan," he thought to himself, taking a few deep breaths struggling to keep his rage from taking over.

"If I'm gonna make it outta here, I got to keep a clear head."

He'd slipped up when he ran into the advance squad a few minutes ago. Letting his anger, and desire for vengeance cloud his judgment, Logan had savagely attacked the soldiers. Though they were well-trained, and considered elite among their peers, they were no match for the fury of Logan gone berserk. It had been easy Logan thought. His adamantium laced claws, left deep bloody lacerations across their bodies, and Logan was sure none had survived.

Remembering the carnage, Logan spat violently upon the ground. Suddenly he heard the sound of several footsteps. Judging by the heavy sound they were making, their bearers were carrying some heavy ordinance.

"Damn, they've caught up!"

Without wasting anymore time, Logan stood ready in a battle stance. With a distinctive Snikt!, sound three razor sharp claws protruded from each of his hands. With his claws out and his teeth bared Logan waited for the attack to come. To his dismay, he didn't have to wait long.

Without warning fifty shots tore through the dense foliage of the forest, their murderous intent matched only by the pain Logan felt. The bullets riddled every part of his body, three in his left leg, another ten in his right, five in his chest, it was pure wanton madness. Before he could even react one of the bullets caught his right eye, causing it to burst in a decadent orgy of blood and fluid. Screaming, another bullet struck Logan in his exposed testicles, blowing one off messily. Howling in agony, the shots continued until Logan finally collapsed in a pool of blood. It was over.

After a moment or so while the smoke settled, the soldiers cautiously stepped out from between the once beautiful forest landscape. The creatures of the night all howled and shrieked but the soldiers ignored them.

"I-Is he dead?" asked one of them timidly, poking Logans's corpse with the tip of his rifle.

"Got to be.."

"Alright boys, we've done our jobs, I'll radio the boys back home and arrange for pickup…." said the Captain trailing away at the last word. For as he said this he stared into the shattered face of Logan, and was shocked to find it was no longer shattered.

The bullet wounds all over his body were healing, the bullets themselves being forced out.

"Cap'n, what's wrong?" asked one of the soldiers.

Too stunned to answer the Captain just stared at Logan's body as it rapidly healed itself. By the time he had regained his wits, it was _much _too late.

"Reload, Reload!!" screamed the Captain, and his terrified men attempted to follow suit, all the while wondering what kind of monster they were up against.

In a few seconds they had all reloaded and proceeded to fire another fifty rounds into Logan. The only problem was, none of their guns fired. The bewildered soldiers were left dumbstruck as their weapons were one by one yanked from their grasp, by some unseen force.

"What the hell…" one of the managed to say, he had no time to worry about his gun though. Logan was alive.

"Not so tough without those toys are ya' bub?" Logan taunted, and without knowing or caring why his pursuers were suddenly on the defensive, Logan lunged at the closest one and buried his claws in the man's skull. A small pathetic urk, sound was all that escaped the man's lips. Removing his claws from the man's brain Logan stared at the blood for a moment transfixed, and then without warning flew into a berserker rage.

When he awoke all the soldiers were either dead or wished they were dead. Closing his eyes to escape the vile scene of gore, and violence that he created, Logan was startled to hear a voice.

"Well done Logan, or should I say Weapon X?"

Logan quickly turned around and was met with a truly bizarre sight. It was a man, at least it smelled like a man, covered from head to toe in crimson, and purple body armor. On his head sat a matching helmet, and from his shoulders came a luxurious cape that spread down to his feet. To cap his bizarre appearance the man was floating in the air a few feet away from Logan.

"It's a little early for Halloween ain't it?" said Logan trying to regain some semblance of normalcy in this strange situation.

"Is that how you treat your savior Logan?" answered the man from somewhere inside that helmet.

"How the hell do you know my name?" said Logan dangerously as he extracted his claws and prepared for another fight. "And I'd better like the answer!" he said his claws flashing brightly in the moonlight.

The man seemed unperturbed by Logan's threats, in fact he seemed highly amused.

"Logan, I'm afraid I know more about your personal history than you do."

"Not good enough!" screamed Logan unsatisfied with his answer, and with a snarl he hurled himself towards the figure. However, before his claws could make contact Logan was abruptly stopped in mid air. Dangling above the bodies of the dead soldiers, he was completely paralyzed.

"What the hell?!" said Logan perplexed, but before he could do anything the man waved his hand and Logan was sent flying backwards into a tall pine tree, where he was pinned by some unseen force.

It didn't take Logan long to realize that it was the mysterious figure that was holding him captive.

"What do you want from me!" he yelled struggling to free himself. "Who the hell are you!?"

The figure then glided smoothly towards Logan, stopping a few feet short of him. Then he twitched his fingers and one of the discarded rifles rose, and hovered menacingly an inch from Logan's face.

"Even with that adamantium skull of yours, and that remarkable healing factor, I doubt you could survive a shot from this rifle at point-blank range." and as he said this the rifle cocked itself.

"What do you _want,_" stated Logan again.

"It's not what I want Logan, it's what you want." replied the man.

"What are you talkin about?" said a puzzled Logan still struggling to free himself.

"Your memories Logan, your past." answered the man putting a particular emphasis on the last word.

At this Logan stopped struggling, and the rifle was lowered. For a tense moment neither of them spoke. Finally the silence was broken by Logan.

"What do I have to do?" he finally replied gruffly.

The man released his grip on Logan who then fell unceremoniously to the ground with a loud thud.

"There is a certain politician by the name of Senator Robert Kelly, who has been lobbying against mutant rights." he paused for a second before saying, " He is planning on running for President in a few months, I want you make sure that our dear senator never makes it past the primaries."

"And after I kill this Kelly guy you'll give me my memories?" asked Logan.

"No, after you have assassinated Kelly you will have proved your loyalty to me, then if you continue to serve my cause you _may_ receive your memories." he finished coldly.

"What kind a game are you playin!?" said Logan with a savage snarl firing up again.

"There is no game Logan, you are free to walk away from my offer."

"But if I do, I won't get my memories is that how it is bub?!" yelled Logan out of frustration.

"You are a smarter man than your appearance would suggest Logan." finished the man with a slight sneer.

Weighing his options, Logan decided to go along with this plan, or at least to pretend to go along.

"Deal, I'll help you, but once I get what I want I'm outta this!"

This response seemed to satisfy the man for he had begun to float away, and beckoned Logan to follow.

Following in the stranger's wake through the forest Logan decided to press him for information.

"What's your name anyway?" Logan asked casting a sideways glance towards his new employer.

For a moment the man just stood there suspended in midair, he then raised his arms and out of the bushes rose two metallic orbs big enough to fit a full grown man. The orbs rested in front of the two men, he then turned to Logan and said.

"I am Magneto."

End of chapter 2

Well that's chapter 2 once again hoped you enjoyed reading it, stay tuned for chapter 3 coming soon.


	3. Chapter 3 Out of the Frying Pan

-1

Author's note

Wow, I appreciate the good feedback on my last chapter, and if you like my story, you'll definitely like John Skylarks' another good author. Anyway let's get started, I don't own Marvel blah blah blah

Chapter 3 Out of the Frying Pan….

Bobby had to admit, on the outside _Petite Fashions_ had resembled one of those stores that prissy, girly-girl, debutante types shopped at, but once he had dashed passed the first set of gaudily dressed mannequins he came to the realization that his first assumption was way off the mark.

No, it wasn't just some cushy frou-frou store, it was a hellhole of epic proportions. A vile, vehement cesspool, of overpriced ,pink laced monstrosities. Pushing past a rack of neon pink sun dresses he spotted Jubilee ahead of him.

"How can you girls wear this crap?" he said ,disgustedly holding the sleeve of a particularly horrible looking dress.

Jubilee rolled her amber eyes at this. _On the run from cops and this guy wants to talk high fashion?_ she thought all the while looking for a way out, it wouldn't take too long for the police officers she'd stunned to wake up. Looking to the heavens for a way out, she suddenly found one.

"Hey, frosty I've got an idea! Get over here!" and for the second time today she grabbed Bobby by the wrist, and once again he was startled by how strong she was for a girl her size. _She must work out, _he thought.

Leading Bobby to the back of the store she abruptly stopped and turned to face him.

"Look before we go any further let's get a few things straight." pointing one of her nimble hands at the door behind her she continued, "Yes, this is the ladies dressing room. Yes, I'm letting you go in there with me, but there will _not,_ and I have to stress this, _not_, be anything going on in there. And if you try _anything_, the cops will be the last thing you need to worry about, got it!"

Taken slightly aback, Bobby tried to recover by once again putting on the sexiest look he could think of, and the deepest voice his throat would allow.

"Hey, no sweat," and then running a few fingers through his short hair he said off-handedly, " It's not like it's my _first _time in a ladies dressing room." he then flashed what he thought was a super cool, sexy, smile. Apparently Jubilee wasn't impressed.

"Ugh, whatever.." she said rolling her eyes in deep disgust, and turned around to open the door. _Man I just can't win tonight!_ ,Bobby thought his cool demeanor faltering. Unfortunately for him, he didn't see the small smile that crossed Jubilee's mouth when she had turned around.

"Come, on it's open." she said hastily breaking him out of his funk, and together they stepped into the ladies dressing room, Bobby hoping that it wouldn't be the _last _time he stepped in the ladies dressing room.

Jean Grey drew stares as she made her way through the mall, partly because of her looks, but mostly because she was sprinting. Weaving in and out of crowds, and muttering more than a few "excuse me's" , Jean decided the conventional way of searching wasn't working. So she settled for the unconventional. Stopping where she was, Jean shut her eyes, and attempted to clear her mind, as the Professor had taught her.

For a moment nothing happened, but in a sudden rush of psychic fury, Jean's mind was deluged with images, and thoughts that were not her own. Struggling to comprehend the vague scenarios playing out behind her eyelids, she gritted her teeth a little in concentration.

_Come on, focus, _she thought to herself, and after a few seconds the jumbled images, and fragmented ideas of the people around her swam into focus, and she regained control.

_It's getting a little better_, she thought to herself again, Jean wasn't exactly too experienced with using her telepathy. In most of her sessions with the professor they had focused on her telekinesis, moving objects around and such. But before she could congratulate herself too much, some idiot with an orange hat bumped into her from behind breaking the concentration she had worked so hard to grasp.

"UGHHH!!!" she grunted out of frustration, causing the guy who had hit her to hastily bite back the scathing comment he was going to make, about blocking traffic. However at the look of fire in Jean's eyes he quickly made his way around her and out of her sight.

Feeling slightly guilty and thinking,_ Great, there's another person in Bayville who thinks I'm some stuck up bitch._ However these feeling were driven from her mind when she looked ahead of her and saw three police officers barely conscious surrounded by a group of onlookers.

_Bingo._ she thought running up to the crowd. It was faint but she could feel ambient mutant energy. The police weren't frozen however just stunned. Looking around, her senses led her into the store adjacent from the collapsed officers.

Walking in, Jean's eyes were accosted by the unsightly view of gaudy pink _everything._

_God, who would wear that!_ she thought.

Pushing the tacky garments aside Jean proceeded to the back of the store where the ladies dressing room was located. As she did so she felt that the energy she had been sensing led to this one spot. Tensing up, and throwing a furtive glance behind her shoulder she gripped the door handle, and slowly opened the door to find….

Nothing.

"What's going on here?" she thought aloud, Jean was sure this was it. But then something caught her eye, as her gaze rested on the air-conditioning vent on the ceiling, Jean noticed it showed signs of having recently being opened.

In fact it showed some pretty distinctive signs of having been opened. For one the bars of the grate looked as if they had strapped to a couple firecrackers. With a satisfied smile Jean place her manicured hands to her temples and thought.

_Professor? Professor?_

For a moment all was silent, but steadily a strong male voiced entered her head.

_Yes, Jean I can hear you._

_Wow, you and Storm must be close if I can hear you this clearly._

_Indeed, we are, have you found the boy?_

_Yeah, but it looks like he's got someone else with him. _Feeling his hesitation she added quickly, _But it shouldn't be a problem though, I mean it's probably just another kid right? I can definitely handle it on my own._

The Professor could practically feel the pleading in her voice, and it pained him somewhat to disappoint his prized pupil.

_Jean, it is not that I don't trust your skills, but right now we cannot risk inadvertently revealing ourselves to the general public. In a situation such as this, with numerous factors that could potentially bring catastrophe, I feel it best if you would allow Ororo and I to handle it._

It was not an order exactly, but the way Professor Xavier said things, it made Jean want to obey.

sigh,_ I know Professor, _

_Good, _said Xavier snapping back to a business like tone._ Now, I want you to wait outside the mall, Storm and I shall be along shortly._

_Okay, Professor, but if you guys need help you know where to find me._

Chuckling slightly Xavier said,_ Of course Jean, it's not like you'd have it any other way._

Smiling to herself, Jean exited the store and made her way out of the mall.

"So how'd you manage to think of this anyway?" asked Bobby as he crawled in a dusty air vent behind Jubilee, trying his hardest not to notice the abundance of roaches and rats. Suppressing a shudder he waited for her answer.

When Jubilee did reply she sounded a little puzzled, disturbed even.

"To tell the truth, I really don't know."

Narrowing his eyes slightly Bobby asked again,

"What do you mean, you don't know?'

"I mean, I don't know!" Jubilee replied more angrily than she had intended. After a moment she spoke again.

"Sorry Bobby, I'm just sorta weirded out that's all." she finished somewhat lamely.

Not knowing what to say Bobby just crawled and listened to her.

"It's just that….before today, I always thought I was the only who could do weird things, and then I saw you, and that just threw my whole world upside down. Now I'm running from cops that want to kill me, and I'm hearing voices in my head telling me to crawl through an air vent, I don't know what's going on…" she finished morosely.

Bobby felt extremely guilty, this girl hadn't asked to be dragged into his problem, just like Judy hadn't asked to be dragged into this, this, whatever it was that caused him to freeze Rocky.

"I mean…..what are we Bobby, aliens, circus freaks, experiments?" Jubilee asked earnestly, and when she stopped crawling, Bobby was stunned to find tears in her eyes, as she looked back at him, her eyes pleading for an answer.

Bobby looked into those eyes and, could see past their honey colored exterior and into the soul within._ She must have been through a lot,_ he thought,_ And then me coming along like this, damn it it's not fair!_, thought Bobby angrily, and not knowing what to say, he just said what he felt.

"I don't know who, or what you are, or what I am for that matter,-" and with every word Bobby Drake spoke Jubilee noticed his voice get stronger, and more masculine, "But there's one thing I do know. You've helped today more than anyone else in my whole life. And I promise no matter what, I'll stay with you, and help you figure this whole thing out!!" ending his speech passionately Bobby did not know what made him say any of those things he said, but Jubilee did not get mad, or cry, or do anything Bobby expected her to do.

Instead she kissed him. Swiftly and softly Jubilee kissed Bobby Drake on the lips, when it was over he sat there dumbstruck. He'd expected a lot of things, but not this, which was indicated by his response.

"Ummm…..uhhhhh….." said Bobby confusedly.

"hee hee-" Jubilee began, but stopped short win an acrid smell met her nostrils.

"What is that?" she said her eyes stinging from the stench.

Recovering himself quickly Bobby said.

"It wasn't me I swear!" trying to bring the conversation back to a level he understood.

"Shhhh…"Jubilee said with her finger to her lips, ears straining to pick up the sound of….

"GAS!!!!!!" she shouted terrified, and for once she did not need to grab Drake to get him to move. The two of them scurried rapidly through the vents, lifting up dust and squashing dead roaches, but neither cared.

"Come on, Jubilee, we're just being paranoid right? I mean they wouldn't-I mean we're just kids not criminals right?" pleaded Bobby with a fearful laugh.

Jubilee was ready to believe him, she _wanted_ to believe him, and just as she was getting ready to open up her mouth to agree, an unmistakable FWOOSH!!! Sound filled their ears. Looking back at bobby she saw his fearful expression and heard him swear.

"Shit!!" they both screamed in unison, because already crimson tipped flames were rushing at them from behind, like a screaming locomotive. There was no time to run, they were dead meat. _Cooked meat._ bobby thought bitterly.

"Hope you're ready to make good on your promise to protect me!" Jubilee said with a brave attempt at humor.

"I don't think I have a choice!!"

And as the flames drew nearer they both prayed for a miracle……..

To be Continued

Well, hope you guys liked that one, Sorry bout the cliffhanger, just means you'll have to tune in next time till then later days…..


	4. Chapter 4 In to the Fire

-1Author's note

Once again, I deeply appreciate the positive feedback, but enough about me let's get back to the story, oh yeah by now you know my whole spiel ,don't own Marvel etc. etc. etc….

Chapter 4.…In to the Fire

To Bobby's horror the blaze moved rapidly towards them. He could already feel the heat on his face. Undulating and wrapping around itself, anything ensnared in it's fevered embrace, was granted a fiery death. At this moment Bobby learned a very important lesson. Never pray for miracles.

"What's that voice in your head tellin' you now?!" shouted a frightened Bobby Drake, turning to face Jubilee.

"I don't know!?!" said an equally panicked Jubilee, "You're the human ice-machine, do something!" And then it him, almost as hard as Rocky had. _Duh, Ice_! He thought ,feeling slightly embarrassed turning back around to face the growing inferno.

But, the problem was, Bobby didn't know _how _to use his powers. When he had used them just an hour ago, to freeze Rocky they had just sort of came out. Still he had to try.

Holding out his hands in front of him, and with every particle of thought he had, Bobby Drake focused on making ice. _Come on, Come on!_ he thought, but after a painful realization it became apparent that Bobby couldn't. So he did the only thing he could do in this situation, try harder.

Meanwhile, the flames grew ever closer , causing the sides of the vent to expand, and threatening to envelope the two young mutants.

"Come, on Bobby you can do this," Jubilee whispered urgently in his ear. "Concentrate."

Sweat from the fire, and from his own nerves stung Bobby's eyes, and visions of burning figures writhing in pain clouded his vision. Shutting his eyes in an attempt to stifle the images, Bobby focused even harder, straining all his muscles trying to force his body to make ice. But with a thrill of grim terror, that seized him without warning, Bobby realized he couldn't. Bobby felt numb, despite the now overwhelming heat from the fire, he opened his eyes, and was greeted with the sight of the now burning inferno inches away from his fingertips.

"Oh, God," were the only words that escaped from his dry lips.

Jubilee saw him freeze up, and not in the way she had hoped. _That's it we're dead_. She thought. But then an idea seized her. She had no time to think about it, her idea was reckless, stupid, and could possibly kill them anyway. _I'd rather die by my on terms anyway!_ She thought fiercely.

"Bobby! Cover your eyes!!" she ordered shortly. Obeying quietly like a child, he did, saving at least his hands from serious burns. At the same time Jubilee had placed both of her hands on the sides of the vent, one on each side. Cringing slightly from the heat, she shut her eyes and gritted her teeth. And then with a mutinous scream, she let loose the most powerful energy blast she had.

"AAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" she cried as the energy grew radiantly bright enveloping them both, like a cocoon of light. The sides and bottom of the vent were completely obliterated by Jubilee's outburst of power.

And with a screeching PAAFFFF!!!, sound the pair were ejected from their metal confinement. Bobby opened his eyes, and saw that Jubilee was unconscious. He also saw how high up they were. Falling like a pair of bricks, the ground came to reach them much to soon for Bobby's taste.

Bobby awoke several minutes later and looked up through the skylight, and saw that it was nighttime.

"Ugh, how long have I been out?" he mumbled. Shaking his head, trying to rid himself of the migraine he was experiencing, a glance to the left caused him to see a crumpled figure in a yellow jacket.

"Jubilee!!" he screamed, she was knocked out, and blood ran freely from her forehead, staining her previously vibrant face.

"JUBILEE!!!!" he screamed again, but before he could run over to her the sound of a gun being cocked stopped him.

"You're not goin' anywhere mutant." said a cold voice from Bobby's right. Turning to face the voice, Bobby was surprised to find a police officer standing calmly with his gun pointed right at Bobby's head.

_Mutants, what's this guy talkin' about?_ Bobby thought

"What's the matter mutie? What'dya think that all us_ normal_ people don't know about you, and your freak friends!?" he shouted acidly, spitting slightly. Bobby then decided that this guy was nuts, and so he moved slightly to block Jubilee from view.

"No," said the officer tapping a badge on his chest that read FoH, "Not all of humankind is ignorant about you."

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about. But my friend's hurt, she needs to go to the hospital. You've got us caught, just arrest me already, and hurry up and get her some help!!" said Bobby angrily.

The cop just smiled. There was definitely something different about him. For one he wasn't stuttering or shaking like the others, and two his smile was more like a grimace, a demented perverse expression.

"You must've misunderstood me mutant, when I said you're not going anywhere I meant you're not going _anywhere_ ever again!" and before Bobby could react the man rapped him across the head hard with his gun. Seeing stars, he fell on his knees. With another grotesque smile the muzzle was placed against Bobby's head, and feeling the cold touch of steel, he knew this time he would die.

However, it appeared that Bobby Drake was meant for greater things. For at that very moment an angel was sent to rescue him. Or at least, she could have passed for an angel.

With a shattering of the skylight and a howl of wind this divine woman glided down gracefully from the heavens. She was beyond beauty, her coffee toned skin reflected the pale moonlight that seemed to shine a spotlight on her. If the great masters of old, Michaelangelo, Da, Vinci, Raphael, had seen her they would have cast away their chisels and brushes and wept for joy, here was the dream of Pygmalion personified. Her lightning filled eyes sat entrancingly, beneath a crown of luxurious hair, that despite her youth was dazzlingly white. She was clad head to toe in a form fitting navy blue unitard, adorned with a fabulous cape that streamed behind her like a chorus of doves. From her hands lightning crackled dangerously. Finally, after what felt like ages her feet softly touched the ground. The goddess of wind Storm.

End of Chapter 4

I know, I know, this chapter was short. Originally it was going to be longer but, as I was reading it the remainder of the chapter felt too rushed.( a problem I also had with chapter 3.) And rushing it would have been a disservice to you the reader. So, I've decided to take a few days off, recharge my batteries so to speak, let the creative juices start flowing again, and get started on chapter 5(which will be considerably longer.). Don't worry I won't be gone for more than a week, and in the meantime you can check out my friend John Skylark, another good author. But until then keep on reading, and keep on reviewing, because reviews are what motivates us to write, and I'll see y'all in a few days.


	5. Chapter 5 Recruiting

-1Author's note

Well here's chapter 5 enjoy, oh yeah I don't own Marvel though I wish I did

Chapter 5 Recruiting

She glided in with all of the grace of a queen entering her court. In Kenya, Ororo Munroe was worshipped as a goddess, believed to bring prosperity and good fortune to her subjects, but here she was literally a force of nature. One to be respected, and to be feared if you crossed her.

When she landed, Storm turned her ivory head this way and that, gazing imperiously at her surroundings before finally settling on the officer with the gun.

"I suggest you lower that weapon, for your own well-being.", she didn't say it like a threat, but the officer and Bobby both registered the danger in her voice.

Behind Bobby Jubilee stirred slightly, and he once again decided to throw caution to the wind, and attempted to contact this stranger.

"Hey, listen I don't know who you are, but my friend and I don't need anymore trouble, we just need to get out of here and to a hospital!" he said nervously. At this Storm looked over at him. Bobby felt himself clam up slightly and thought fearfully,_ Great, now I've pissed her off_!

But to his surprise she smiled warmly at him and said,

"Worry not Robert, I am here to help you."

_Robert? How does she know my name?_ he thought, but before he could answer the officer took a step forward and aimed his gun at Storm.

"Alright, lady I don't know where the fuck _you_ came from. But these two kids here." he said glancing back at the two teens, "These two aren't goin' anywhere, so why don't you hop your pretty little ass on a cloud, and get outta here, before I call for backup!" he shouted in a condescending tone.

At being spoken too as if she were some sort of child, Storm's eyes grew white and her tone much colder. In fact Bobby could have sworn that it actually _did_ get colder when she spoke.

She then took a step forward and as she did the air crackled with electricity and overhead the clouds began to circle outside.

"So, am I to understand that you will _not_ be letting these children leave?" she said dangerously, taking another step.

The officer backed up slightly, all the while noticing that every time he exhaled visible frost came out._ What the hell? It's only September._ he thought. In the meantime Storm was advancing upon him slowly.

"Stop where you are!" he shouted cocking the gun and aiming at her heart.

She stopped and looked up at the now chaotic skies.

"It is unfortunate that you have chosen to be so obstinate." she said in a voice filled with power. And at the moment Bobby knew, that this cop had chosen the wrong woman to mess with.

Storm raised her gloved hands high above her, and shouted,

"Skies, obey my call, and unleash your fury!" as she did a violent current of wind enveloped the man and lifted him high in the air. Bobby merely stared up with an awed look on his face.

"W-W-What the hell are you doing?!?!?!" the man screamed terrified. He tried to shoot at her but the strong winds caused his bullets to whiz around off course circling him.

Instead of answering him, she appeared to concentrate harder and in turn he rotated faster.

By now the man was terrified and nauseous. To his dismay his FoH badge was torn from his chest by the gale force winds.

"Let me down you mutant freak!!!" he shouted hoarsely. When he said this this Storm lowered her hands and said. "As you wish."

The winds ceased and the man plummeted from the same height that Jubilee and Bobby had fell from earlier. With a dull thud he hit, and was out immediately.

Bobby was stunned. Here he and Jubilee had struggled the past few hours to evade the police, when this woman had just systematically dismantled them as if they were nothing.

Amused at Bobby's dazed expression, Storm calmly walked over to him and crouched to his level. Her kind face wore a smile, that made Bobby feel secure the first time tonight.

"Come child, you and your friend shall-," she began, but was cut short by the sound of three pistols being cocked. When she followed the sound, her eyes met three harassed looking police officers.

"Crap, it's those cops from earlier that Jubilee stunned!" Bobby said getting to his feet.

"I see." Storm replied. She hadn't expected to have too take down a whole squad. If she wasn't careful she would draw too much attention to her presence. But before she could make a decision on whether or not to engage them, someone else intervened.

To Storm and the officers surprise all three of them were lifted off the ground by some invisible force. Still evidently surprised the three of the them were then hurled into the nearest wall knocking them all out.

Bobby turned to Storm with a questioning look. Before he could question her she cut him off.

"No, that was not me," she said with a slight smile, "It was her." she said turning around. At this Bobby turned around too and saw a crimson haired girl a few years older than him, wearing a brown cargo pants and a purple bare-midriff sweater.

_Well you didn't just expect me to sit there like a good little girl, while you had all the fun did you?_ she said coyly. The thing that surprised Bobby most was not the fact that for the third time in two hours he had been saved by a girl, but the fact that her voice was in his head.

_Hey, there's nothing wrong with being saved by a girl. _she said in his head. Recoiling slightly at this surprise, Bobby looked taken aback.

"W-Who are you people?!" he asked slightly afraid. Storm turned back to him and said.

"I am Ororo Munroe, otherwise known as Storm." While Bobby was trying to remember how to pronounce her name, she gestured to towards the other girl, "And this is, Jean Grey."

"Pleased to meet you Bobby." Jean said brightly holding out her hand.

He hesitated for a second, but then deciding that these two had saved him and it he'd be a

real jerk not to ,Bobby shook her hand. Jean smiled, and with this warm response Bobby prepared one of his patented sexy looks and said.

"I'm Bobby Drake, but you ladies can call me Iceman."

-----------------

An hour later Bobby was sitting at the back of specialized jet known as the "Blackbird."

Across from him sat Jean Grey, with her legs crossed, looking as if she were born on here. Behind them both, Jubilee lay still unconscious on an infirmary bed. Seeing the concern in Bobby's eyes Jean spoke to him.

"Don't worry Bobby, she's just exhausted." she said, Bobby then turned to face her with a slightly accusatory look in his eyes.

"Did you-" he began, but Jean interrupted.

"I don't need to read your mind, to tell that you're worried about her." she said with an understanding smile.

Bobby lowered his head slightly and sighed.

"It's just that you've given me a lot to swallow." he started, and Storm turned her head slightly to listen from the cockpit.

"You're tellin me that I'm some sort of mutant, and that I've got these powers, and that I'm special. But just yesterday I was this normal kid you know? Movies, sports, girls, that's all I had to worry about." he then looked up " But now all of a sudden I'm _different_, I'm meant for somethin else, something better, But what the hell was wrong with my old life!?" he finished angrily standing up.

Surprised and ashamed of his own feelings, Bobby sat down and began to apologize, but before he could Jean cut him off.

"Listen Bobby, I know how you feel believe me I _do._" she said taking his hand in hers, looking into his eyes. "We've all felt that way when we first discovered our powers. But over time we've come to accept and embrace our abilities. Not because they make you better than anyone else, but because they are an extension of yourself. A self that , with the help of the professor, that we have grown to love and cherish." she said earnestly, and noticing the emotional expression on his face she finished.

"And you will too, just give it time." she said with a genuinely kind smile. At this Storm smiled to herself and turned back towards the cockpit._ The professor would be proud._ she thought.

Bobby felt moved even though he wouldn't admit it, and looking for a change of subject he inquired about the Professor.

"Hmm.. that is a good question." Jean said, "I thought he was with you Storm."

Storm turned back towards them and said.

"Charles was with me, but he received an urgent message from a colleague of his at the hospital. He had me drop him off there, and he said he would meet us back at the mansion."

With a sigh Jean said jokingly,

"Wow, it must be big if would ditch us like that."

While Storm was admonishing Jean for her comment Bobby had only one thought on his mind.

_Mansion?_

------------------

Ten o'clock in the morning in New York City, most people were bustling about trying to get to work, and Logan was no different. Dressed in a pair of jeans, an itchy blue shirt, and a brown leather jacket that Magneto had given him, he was maneuvering his way through a throng of commuters.

Sniffing the city air, that stank of car exhaust, fast food, and an overall fast paced environment, Logan grunted.

"I hate the city..." but Magneto had sent him on a mission, to pick up something he had left behind. _Just like his little errand boy._ he thought bitterly. But if Logan wanted what he desired most he had to play along, for now. Seeing his destination he stopped and stared at the sign that adorned the building.

New York City Police Precinct number 37.

With a weary growl he walked up the stairs and entered the building.

When he walked in a haze of smoke temporarily clouded his vision, and with a agitated expression on his face he walked up to the information desk.

"I'm here to see somebody." he said gruffly. The officer, whose feet were reclining on the desk, and face was hidden by a paper didn't respond. Feeling even more agitated Logan snatched the paper out of his hands and ripped it to shreds.

"Hey buddy, I was reading that!" the cop shouted indignantly, finally standing up.

"Yeah, and I ain't got time for you to waste pal!" Logan responded viciously. Seeing the alarming look on his face the officer decided not to cross him.

"Who are ya here for?" he asked somewhat more politely.

"Now that's more like it!" Logan said dropping the ripped paper. "I'm here ta see a guy by the name o' Pietro." Looking down the list of prisoners held in confinement the officer finally stopped by a name.

"You mean uh, Maximoff?" he asked uncertainly stumbling over the pronunciation.

"Ugh, whatever." Logan answered ,Magneto had never given a last name.

"Alight, just step through that metal detector over there first."

At this the officer thought that Logan looked momentarily uncertain, but before he could comment on it Logan had already advanced toward the detector and stepped through.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The alarm sounded off, and the officer lazily stepped towards him.

"Empty out your pockets, and step back through." he said without any real conviction.

Logan did so and once again the alarm sounded off.

Beckoning him to step forward the officer pulled out a long rod-like device and ran it over Logan's body, attempting to find the source of the beeping. To his surprise the device beeped over every section of his body.

The officer looked up with a fearful and confused look in his eyes, but before he say anything Logan cocked back and decked him hard knocking him off his feet and into a trashcan.

"Sorry bub, but like a I said, I don't got time to waste." as he said this several other policeman ran towards him.

"Hah! Wimps!" he growled, and without waiting for them to reach him he charged headfirst. With a front flip over the first two, he managed to grab hold of their shirt collars, in each of his hands. Once he landed he flung them bodily into a wall putting them out of the fight.

With a growl he grabbed the third, and gave him a knee hard to the face ,he was down.

"Is that all you pansies got!" he said harshly.

Meanwhile in his holding cell Pietro Maximoff, had awoken from one of his super-quick cat naps, by the sound of crashing bodies and swearing.

"What-the-hell-is-going-on-out-there?" he said in one breath. he didn't have to wait long to get his answer. Almost as soon as he had spoken a police officer came plowing through the wall, followed by a rough looking man of about forty.

"Who-the-hell-are-you?" Pietro demanded staring at the man.

Logan's response was a low growl, "You Pietro?" asked

At this Pietro whizzed to the bars of his cell, so that he was face to face with Logan.

"That depends tough guy, you-here-to-bust-me-out?" he said eagerly.

Logan stared at him for a second and then extended his claws.

"Stand back." he said roughly.

Pietro quickly ran to the back of his cell, and not a moment to soon. For as soon as he had, Logan used his claws to slice open the bars leaving long clean cuts, and an exit for Pietro.

Ecstatic Pietro said, "Wow-bet-you'd-make-a-great-weed-whacker!"

"Shut up! We don't have time to mess around! We've gotta get outta here before more of them show."

Stepping out of his former cell Pietro stretched, and yawned, "So where are we headed?' he asked with a grin.

Looking around making sure the coast was clear Logan turned to Pietro and said.

'"I'm takin you to see a guy named Magneto." Hearing this the smile fell from Pietro's face and he looked angry.

"Did you say Magneto?"

"Yeah, heard o' him?" Logan asked inquiringly.

With his hands balled up into fists, Pietro smiled an angry smile.

"Yeah, I heard of him. And I don't think I'll be joining you." he said coldly.

"What!?" said Logan with a snarl, advancing on the white-haired youth.

"You-heard-me!" answered Pietro, dodging Logan and going back to his normal hyper-fast manner of speaking. "I'm-not-going-anywhere-near-Magneto!" He then sprinted to the end of the hallway, in the blink of an eye.

"And-you-can-tell-old-buskethead-he-can-rot-in-hell-for-all-I-care!!" and with that he dashed out of the hallway past the wreckage that was the precinct and out into the streets, all before Logan could speak.

Standing there looking dejected Logan said

"I hate kids.."

End of Chapter 5

So that's the long awaited chapter 5, stay tuned for chapter 6 coming out soon, and oh yeah, to fattywantapoptart I can't tell you whether or not Gambit will be with Acolytes, but he will be in the story tat's what's important. Till next, see ya.


	6. Chapter 6 Family Ties Part 1

-1

Author's note

Here we go Chapt. 6 by now you know I don't own Marvel, and if you don't you're kind of a dumbass.

Chapter 6. Family Ties part 1

2 hours before Storm's arrival at the mall.

Professor Xavier's wheelchair glided along smoothly across the tile floor of Bayville General, while it's occupant a bald man of about fifty turned his head to question one of his oldest friends, and colleagues.

"You still haven't told me why you've brought me here. What was so urgent?" he asked as they preceded hurriedly down the children's wing, which was festooned with splashes of colorful drawings on the walls.

"Ah, Charles y'know you coulda just read mah mind, if you wanted quick answers." she replied in a heavy Scottish accent. "Y'canna imagine the trouble ah'm goin through jus' to get you access to him.", after finishing this she smiled good-naturedly at him.

At this Charles returned her smile with one of his own. He had to admit over the years she had helped him more than any other person. _More than she knows_. He thought.

"Forgive me Moira, I appreciate all that you have done for me and my students."

She then waved her hand dismissing his apology, and they continued on, her heels clicking, and the mechanical hum of his chair whirring. As they drew closer to their destination, Charles saw that the door was flanked by two armed personnel.

"So, I gather that this boy is a mutant," said the Professor stopping short of the guards and inclining his head towards her.

"Aye, that he is," she said frowning slightly, "A dangerous one, at that. No control over his abilities."

Thinking for a moment Charles continued to question her.

"How did you come about such a boy? My scans with Cerebro have never indicated him." he said staring intently at her. Her hazel eyes shifted for a moment, and she nervously ran her fingers through her hair before continuing.

"Y'see Charles that's what's so strange about him. Ever since he's been in our care there's been some sort of _weird _interference muckin' up all our machines."

At this his eyebrows furrowed, and he pressed on feeling something ominous.

"What sort of interference Moira?" he asked seriously.

Pausing for a moment, her pretense of coyness dropped completely, Moira's solicitous gaze met his austere stare, and they both knew what kind of interference.

_Magnetic?_, sounded Charles thoughts in side her head, and she could literally feel the anxiety, mingled with guilty joy in that word.

She merely nodded her head, and the Professor's worst fears were confirmed.

For what seemed like hours neither one of them spoke, they simply sat and contemplated what this meant. They alone knew the significance of a little magnetic interference, and while they thought ,the professor glanced out of the window and saw people. People going to work, people going shopping, people just being people trying to live their lives. And knowing that those people's way of life, might rest on his ability to act decisively, he closed his eyes for a moment, and when they opened they were filled with a fiery resolve.

"It matters not what this could mean right now Moira," he said wheeling closer to her "What matters now is helping this boy. We can deal with the rest later."

Feeling reassured by Charles' warming countenance she nodded her head once more.

"Aye Charles yuir right."

"Good, now what is this boys name?" he asked moving closer to the door.

Looking down at her clipboard she flipped a few pages before finding his name.

"Ah, Summers, Scott Summers."

---------

After a brief explanation to the guards, Moira Mactaggert had managed to allow the Professor a brief visit with the boy. When he had entered the room, the Professor noticed that the blinds were open, and a creamy orange sunset was accenting the bare walls with splashes of vibrant tangerine swirls. On the bedside table sat a vase of flowers, bathing under the sunlight transforming their electric blue buds into vivid streaks of orange and maroon dancing in the evening wind.

Unfortunately Scott saw none of the poetic scene. His eyes were completely covered in bandages that were wrapped so tight they looked like miniature turbans. From the top of these bindings sprouted a tuft of auburn hair.

Turning his head towards the entrance, Scott could have sworn he had heard the door opening, but the strange thing was, he didn't hear any footsteps. _Maybe they've come to take me away to some lab for freaks, and they're just trying to sneak up on me._ He thought and tensing up Scott started to get up from bed.

"Calm yourself Scott, I am not here to harm you, nor do I think you a freak. I am here to help." said a voice soothingly, from the darkness the Scott Summers perceived as reality.

Startled, Scott turned his head this way and that trying to pinpoint the location of the voice.

"Who are you?" he demanded somewhat harshly.

Undisturbed by this young man's like of manners the Professor continued to speak.

"My name is Professor Charles Xavier, I own and operate a school for young people such as yourself, young people with certain _gifts_."

"What do you mean gifts." asked Scott suspiciously, though he thought he saw where the man was headed.

"When I say gifts Scott, I mean people with abilities that could be considered different, strange even."

"I still don't follow you."

Wheeling forward and into the sunlight Charles continued.

"I am speaking of course, about mutants."

For a long while a silence hung in the air, as a multitude of thoughts raced through Scotts brain, feeling overwhelmed he slumped back onto the bed and buried his face between his knees.

Seeing the boys reaction the Professor attempted to comfort him.

"Scott, just because you are a mutant doesn't mean that your life over. In fact being a mutant has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my life. In time you will come to understand, as I did that your gifts-"

"Yeah, packing a bazooka behind each eyelid is a _real_ gift." interrupted Scott removing his head from his lap. The Professor backed off for a moment allowing Scott to speak.

"Face it, I'll never be able to look at anyone again without blowing them threw a wall." he said bitterly. And as he said this a warm heavy feeling overcame his throat and he again deposited his head in his lap.

Feeling his despair Charles placed a hand on his shoulder and said kindly.

"Being a mutant doesn't have to be burden, it can be a great source of joy and wonder. If you just let me help you, I promise I will do my best to assist you in gaining control over your powers." and then closing his eyes he spoke to Scott telepathically.

_You're not the only on going through this._

And without warning a myriad of images danced in between Scott's thoughts. Images of a boy with wings gliding over a forest, a purple haired woman wielding what appeared to be a purple glowing knife, a beastly man covered in blue fur working in a chem lab, and finally a fiery haired girl on her way to school.

These images echoed throughout Scott's mind long after the Professor stopped speaking. Finding his voice again he turned his head up towards the Professor.

"Were those...all...mutants?" he asked timidly.

"All mutants and all my students." the Professor responded proudly, and then with an unseen smile he said,

"Let me tell you about my school."

-------------------------

Logan was having a very bad day. Not only had the kid ran off, but now he was supposed to catch the little bastard he thought. Running through the wrecked police station, Logan barreled through the doors and out on to the packed sidewalk. Looking left and right, there was no visible sign of the newly freed Pietro. But Logan knew better. Just because there were no visible signs didn't mean that the silver-haired youth hadn't left any clues. Sniffing the air around him Logan finally focused on one scent.

_Gotcha, _he thought picking up on Pietro's hair gel, and shampoo soaked scent. Scowling, he looked around for a way to catch the speedster. Immediately his eyes rested on vehicle parked in front of him. To be specific it was a brand new blue motorcycle, one of the real streamlined Japanese ones, sleek and fast.

While Logan was oggling this beautiful bike, it's rider was preparing to pull out. Seeing his opportunity slip away he sprang into action. With a brief sprint Logan hopped over the handlebars of the bike, and with an OOFF!! sound and a "Hey!!" from the owner Logan dropkicked the man off the back of the bike.

"Sorry, bub but I need this." he said glancing at the dazed biker, he then extracted one claw and plunged it into the ignition. With a twist the engine roared to life. Logan kicked up the kickstand revved the engines and shot out of the space and into traffic, all the while smiling in a slightly manic way. Sometimes he really did enjoy his job.

Weaving between cars and ignoring the ensuing honks he heard, Logan focused on Pietro's scent. After about a ten minute drive in which he was surprised to not have been pulled over by the cops Logan spotted Pietro up ahead running alongside a mini-van making faces at the children inside.

While Pietro was sticking his tongue out at the children he happened to glance in the rear-view mirror and see a _very _agitated Logan tailing him.

_Damn-this-guy-doesn't-quit!_ he thought.

By the time Pietro had thought this Logan had pulled up alongside of him.

"Hey! Pull over!" Logan snarled at him ferociously.

Pietro turned his head to Logan and smiled evilly.

"Fat-chance-wild-man!"

Logan growled and extracted one set of claws. He took a swipe at the boy which he easily dodged while saying.

"Nice-try-slowpoke-catch-me-if-you-can!!"

And with a backwards glance at Logan he increased his speed and dashed off ducking in and out of traffic, leaving a bewildered and angry Logan.

"Look Mommy, that man's ugly!" shouted one of the children in the van.

At the sight of Logan the woman driving locked all the doors and took the next turn.

Growling, Logan sped up and followed Pietro's trail.

A few minutes later Logan caught up with him. To his surprise the boy was simply sitting on bus stop bench reading a paper with an image of a man named Graydon Creed splashed on the front. As the boy read his face grew darker and darker.

By now Logan was beyond pissed off, and instead of shouting at Pietro he revved his engines and charged straight at him. At the last moment Pietro saw his pursuer and with a yelp he lept up and sped off into an alley.

Logan was hot on his tail, blasting through the narrow alleyway, Logan saw with amusement that it ended in a solid brick wall. Seeing this he smiled and stopped before saying to Pietro, "End o' the line pal."

But, to Logan's shock Pietro merely flashed a cocky smile.

"For you maybe. You see this is the part where the roadrunner outsmarts the stupid coyote again! See ya!" and with that snide remark Pietro ran full speed at the wall. But instead of ramming into it and breaking a couple of bones, he ran straight up and over it, all before Logan blink.

For, at least 30 seconds he sat there on that stolen bike before saying.

"I _really _hate kids."

--------------

For almost an hour Scott had sat and listened to what the Professor had to say. To his surprise a lot of it made sense. Promising that he would return tomorrow ,Charles had left to give Scott some time to think about his offer.

_Joining his school, being one of his X-men?_ _I'll have to give it some thought, but I've gotta admit it's sounds better than being stuck in a hospital bed the rest of my life._

Scott's musings came to an end when the sound of a door opening awoke him.

"Um professor-" he began, but then he realized he could hear the sounds of heels clicking, so it had to be a woman.

"Dr. Mactaggert, is that you?" he asked uncertainly even though he as sure it wasn't. For one, the doctor always brought about a sense of warmth and matronly comfort. But this woman felt...cold, and dead like a blast of winter had just walked in.

"Can I help you?" he said, and the way he said it wasn't a question, it was more of a command.

Smiling to herself, the woman liked that defiant attitude.

"That depends Scott, on whether or not you are willing to help me." came an unfamiliar voice.

Frowning slightly Scott turned towards the source of the voice.

"I don't what a blind kid could do for you, Doctor." he said coldly, something about this woman just put him off, something didn't _feel_ right.

Chuckling slightly she responded, "I'm not a Doctor, and you're not blind. In fact it is your _vision_ that brings me here."

Scott gasped slightly, and this involuntary act caused the woman to laugh even more.

"There's no need to worry Scott I'm here to help you." she said in a falsely sweet voice, and then instantly before he could respond her tone changed to a snappish business like one.

"I'll cut to the chase, Scott. I know Xavier's been here to visit you, and I know he's probably filled that little head of yours with all sorts of fanciful ideas of peace, and mutant human equality."

"So what if he has." he said in that same defiant tone.

Smiling again she answered harshly.

"I hate to bring you back to earth, but all of that is just idealistic bullshit."

Pausing for a second she said " Do you honestly think that those people out there, will except you?" she said gesturing outside, "And I'm being serious now so pay attention, do you _really_ believe that they wouldn't hesitate to spit on you, threaten you, even try to kill you!" she spat passionately before continuing, " In your heart, have you actually deluded yourself into thinking that by following that crippled bastard that these flat-scan, monkeys will accept you, respect you, even treat you as an equal?!" While she said this she moved closer and closer to Scott until she was whispering in his ear, and he could feel her cool breath on his neck.

"Do you think they won't hesitate to persecute you and you family?"

Scott had heard enough, pushing the woman off of him and onto the floor, he got up violently and stood over her, his eyes glowing red behind the bandages.

"I guess you're right I _don't _have anything to worry about, except for psycho's like you! And oh yeah, my family's completely dead so you don't have to worry about them either! Now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna be calling security." he said.

He then groped at the wall and attempted to feel his way out of the room when her voice stopped him.

"They don't have to be."

Stopping he turned his head back towards her body.

"What are you talking about now." he demanded

And even though his tone was harsh, she tell that she had him hooked.

Still laying on the floor not looking at him she kept on talking.

"Your family, what if I could bring them back to you, what would you do?"

His heart hammering out of his chest, Scott's hand slipped from the doorknob leaving it sweaty and slick.

"I know enough, about mutant powers to know that you can't raise the dead." he said bitterly.

"True. But I'm not talking about raising the dead. I'm talking about reuniting the living."

For a tense few moments Scott stood there rooted to the spot, possibilities racing through his mind.

"I'll take your silence as a sign that you interested," she said smugly.

"Are you saying that my parents are alive?" he asked excitedly

"Your parents, no, but you brother Alex..." she paused for a moment letting the anticipation build up inside of him.

"Yes.."

It felt like Scott had been struck by lightning, his whole body was electrified, and it took him a full minute to regain his voice.

"W-Where is he?" he asked the emotion etched painfully over what was visible of his face.

Standing up finally and brushing herself off she said curtly,

"He's with an associate of mine, learning to control his powers, you see he's a mutant like you. I'll take you to him if you like, he's dying to see you."

"Okay yeah I'll do it." Scott answered immediately.

"Good, we're leaving right now, get ready." she said moving towards the door.

Hesitating slightly Scott said, "But the Professor-"

"The Professor, is a thing of your past, your family is the future now are you coming or not?" she said with a bite of impatience.

For a moment Scott considered not going, but then he remembered all the years he was stuck in that orphanage, wondering whether or not his family was alive, and then coming to the grim conclusion that he was indeed alone.

"Yeah, I'm coming." he said finally.

"Good."

And as he said this the woman led Scott out into the not so crowded hallway telling them that her limo was waiting outside.

"Limo, just who are you anyway?" Scott asked.

"For now, you can call me Ms. Darkholme, or Raven for short."

--------------------

_Man people sure are slow!_ Pietro thought irritably, he was sitting in one of those beside the road side diners way outside of Bayville. He was sitting at the bar _still_ waiting on his order.

"Hey!! Can-I-get-some-service-here!!" he yelled hitting the bell twenty times in the span of two seconds. Slowly, oh so slowly, a harassed looking waitress slid over and asked him what he wanted in a bored sort of way.

"I want thirteen-eggs-sunny-side-up-a-side-of-bacon-five-pancakes-with-extra-extra-extra-maple-syrup-sausage-links-two-biscuits-and-a-double-mocca-half-caff-soy-latte-with-cream!! Got it?"

The waitress stared at him for a second before saying

"You said flapjacks right?"

Before Pietro could come up with a scathing attack on her stupidity he noticed something reflected in her vapid eyes. Turning around just in time he saw a blue motorcycle come crashing through the window heading straight at him.

Ducking the bike which directly over his head and the counter blasting a hole into the kitchen. When the smoke cleared an extremely pissed off Logan stood in the doorway with all of his claws extracted, and bits of glass in the cuffs of his jeans.

"Play time's over bub!!" he snarled viciously as Pietro cowered in front of the now destroyed counter.

To be Continued...

So there it is the longest chapter yet, hope you liked it. Oh yeah to CosmicPhoenix. I can't tell you whether or not our favorite Canadian mutant will switch sides, but think about it from his perspective, right now ol' buckethead has alot more to offer him than chrome dome does, but that could always change in the future, you'll just have to wait and see. Till next time my adoring fans(just kidding.)


	7. Chapter 7 Family Ties Part 2

-1Author's note

It's me Bushido again, and once gain I don't own Marvel, but I heard if you say you do Stan Lee comes to your house and beats you with a hockey stick until your retinas are detached. Anywaaaaay let's get back with the story.

Chapter 7 Family Ties part 2

The scene was one of complete devastation. The once quaint hometown diner, now

resembled a war zone. The bike Logan had sent hurling through the window had not exploded thankfully, but it had left a haze of smoke and debris across the restaurant obscuring Pietro's vision. When the smoke cleared he was astonished to find himself nose to nose, with his pursuer.

"Heh, heh, nice time for a snack." Pietro said laughing feebly. At this Logan growled and holding him by the collar of his expensive shirt, threw him roughly into the remains of the counter.

"Hey-that's-silk!- Watch-it!" screamed Pietro indignantly.

"Shut up!" Logan answered savagely, and without taking his eyes off of Pietro he ordered everyone still in the diner to leave.

"You've caused me a lot o' trouble pal." Logan said as he raised the hand that wasn't holding Pietro and with a SNIKT! sound extracted the claws.

"H-Hey-we-can-talk-about-this-right?! I-mean-it's-all-just-fun-and-games-" stammered a visibly frightened Pietro, and to his horror Logan had lifted him completely off the floor making him unable to run away. As his quick legs failed to make traction, Logan chuckled a little at Pietro's predicament.

"Yeah, fun for you maybe, but me I've been bustin my ass all day just trying' ta keep up with'ya." saying this he placed his claws square in front of Pietro's face allowing him to see his own petrified reflection in them.

"But that's alright, cause' now that I've got you, I'm gonna have a little fun." he said nastily, and without warning he drew back his fist, and aimed a shot right at Pietro's face.

"YAAAHHHH!!!!!!" was the only sound Pietro could make as the claws came rushing at him. And for the first time in the speedster's life things seemed to slow down. He saw things that he didn't even know he remembered, a woman dying in childbirth, a group of grown men taunting a little silver-haired boy, a dark haired girl crying being dragged into some sort of medical facility, and as these memories washed over him he closed his eyes and waited for the claws.

But they never came. At the last second Logan had retracted them, hitting Pietro only with his adamantium laced fist. The blow was still strong enough to knock him out ,but at least he wasn't dead. As he watched the boy lose consciousness Logan said.

"You're lucky your just a kid. Next time it'll be the claws."

---------------------

"Ow! Watch it!" whined an agitated Jubilee. She was laying in the infirmary of the X-mansion being treated by a Native American boy about two years older than her, who for the _third_ time had managed to hit one of her sore spots.

"Sorry, I'm not exactly used to treating irritable teenage girls." he replied, checking the monitors beside her bed.

"Hmph, what kind of doctor are you anyway?' she sniffed suspiciously, pulling up the covers on her bed a little higher.

Smiling slyly he answered, "Who said I was a doctor?"

At the incredulous look spreading across Jubilee's face, the Professor, who was sitting in front of her with his hands clasped together, interrupted.

"What, Forge lacks in experience he more than makes up for in genius." he said calmly.

It was a few hours after Bobby, and Jubilee had arrived at the mansion, once Jubilee had woken up, the Professor had given her a similar speech that he had given Scott Summers. Much to her surprise the institute sounded like a place where she might finally fit in. _Well maybe not fit in, but at least no one will get mad at me if I accidentally blow up the DVD player, _she had thought, and without waiting for the details she had accepted his offer to join.

"Alright, aside from a few you bruises you're perfectly okay." Forge said brightly, "Just make sure you go easy on the powers for a few days."

"Good, you can send in young Mr. Drake. I believe he was terribly worried." said the Professor still studying the girl.

"Can doooooooo." Forge said failing to stifle a huge yawn.

"Why don't you get some rest Forge." said Charles his eyes shifting towards the boy momentarily.

"Yeah, I probably should." and as he said this he got up and moved towards the door , which automatically opened causing Bobby Drake to fall forward on his face. Jubilee giggled slightly at the embarrassed look on his face as Forge stepped over him saying

"You, two kids don't stay up too long." and with that he strode out of the room and upstairs.

"Ahem." the Professor coughed slightly, which brought Bobby back to his senses causing him to jump up and begin apologizing for eavesdropping.

"It's quite alright Robert," said the Professor waving his hand dismissing Bobby's apologies, "It's natural to feel concern for another." Nodding his head towards the Professor Bobby then turned to his friend.

"Are you okay?" he asked anxiously.

Pausing for a moment she feigned a pained expression and said in a faux-sickly voice.

"I...don't...know...I...think...I'll...need-" she beckoned the worried teen forward before whispering in a death rattle. "An...ice...pack..." she then swooned causing Bobby to rush forward. When she saw the look on his face she could no longer hold it and burst out laughing.

For a moment Bobby just stood there, and then he couldn't help but laugh at himself, and joined in.

"Oh, you are so dead for that one." he said taking a seat on the bed opposite her, and playfully throwing a pillow at her.

"Lighten up , Frosty I'm just tired, I've never used my powers that much before." she said smiling gently at him." Besides you should have seen the look on your face it was priceless."

Shifting in his seat guiltily a troubled look crossed Bobby's face.

"Listen Jubilee, back there I-" he began but before he could finish his sentence Charles cut him off.

"Back there, you had no notion of how to control your considerable powers." he said pivoting to face him. " Here, you will learn to harness those abilities in order to insure that nothing such as that ever happens again. It was of no fault of your own what happened."

"Exactly, Bobby." Jubilee said kindly, "There's no reason to beat yourself up. I'm fine, you're fine, we all got out okay." He looked marginally more cheerful after their words, and Jubilee suggested that they watch some television, to cheer him up. Flipping through the channels they stopped on what looked like some sort of political speech.

Standing at the podium was a man with short brown hair sporting a red blazer, decorated with pins and badges that read FoH. The Professor gazed intently at this man as Jubilee turned the volume up.

"And I say to you my fellow citizens." he said passionately, "How long will you stand idly by while your schools your neighborhoods, your way of life is taken from you! How long will you sit there and deny the fact that you are in mortal danger! We as Americans, are facing the greatest threat to our national security! And ladies and gentleman, it's not coming from overseas, it's coming from the streets, the stores, the churches! Mutants! Monsters! Abominations! They are among us! Please, my dear citizens be a friend of humanity, and report any mutant sighting to us and we will protect you!! The choice is yours America, on November 11th, vote Kelly and save yourselves from the mutant menace!!" he finished zealously to the volatile crowd, who cheered his every word.

After the broadcast the Professor sat deep in thought, as he contemplated several things until he was brought out of his reverie by Bobby.

"Professor, I thought that you said that most people don't know about us." he asked, and Jubilee nodded her head in agreement.

Even in this tense situation, Charles couldn't help but feel slightly happy that they had both accepted what they were.

"Yes, must of humankind does not know we exist, or rather they do not know we exist in such great numbers." he said correcting himself.

"But I don't get it!" Jubilee said shaking her head, "We've got these powers, why should we be afraid of them?" And Bobby was thinking along the same lines.

Wheeling closer to them and turning off the image of Graydon Creed, he spoke to them seriously.

"We are not afraid, nor are we ashamed," he said turning his head towards Bobby, " But the simple fact remains that humanity is not ready for us, men such as this Graydon Creed are living proof of that. So I implore you, while you both remain under this roof, please refrain from using your gifts in public unless absolutely necessary."

They both nodded their heads yes, and promised not to use their powers unless they needed to.

"Excellent, now its' getting late you should both get some rest, we can contact your parents in the morning."

Bobby groaned at the thought of having to explain why he hadn't come home to his parents, but Jubilee simply sat there staring at her hands morosely.

---------------------------

"Uhhhh..."

"Glad to see you're awake, for a second there I thought I'd gave ya a concussion." came a rough voice from in front of Pietro.

"Uhh..where..am..I" he said significantly more slower than he usually did, still shaking off the effects of Logan's punch.

Snorting Logan said, "Look around, trees, blue sky, pavement, American highway system."

And as Pietro did look around he saw that Logan was right, they were on a semi-deserted stretch of highway. He also noticed his arms and legs were bound in heavy metal chains, and he was a prisoner on the back of _another_ motorcycle, that Logan had _borrowed._

"Hey! Let-me-go-already!" Pietro demanded returning back to his cocky attitude, and struggling slightly against his restraints.

"Pipe down will'ya you're givin me a headache!" said Logan as rode over a speedbump deliberately.

"Ow! You're-doing-this-on-purpose!" he screamed weakly.

"Yeah, and I'm enjoyin every minute of it."

--------------

A few minutes later they had rode a considerable distance from their starting point, when Logan realized he had no idea where they were going, and that's when Pietro started to plead.

"Please, you don't know him like I do." he said pleadingly "He's-only-using-you!"

Growling slightly Logan responded, "You think I don't know that!? Now quit strugglin back there your screwin' up my balance."

Before Pietro could say anything else however, a long black limo erupted from the greenery about 100 feet ahead of them.

"Whoa!" Logan yelled, squeezing the breaks and coming to a screeching halt in front of the vehicle, which was now sitting stationary in the middle of the road.

"Whats'-going-on-"

"Shut up!" Logan snarled getting off the bike and walking towards the limo.

"Hey buddy-" he began but before he could verbally assault the driver, a woman stepped calmly out of the passenger seat. She was wearing a light purple business suit, with black opened toe heels, beneath her cropped brown hair sat a pair of spectacles. Behind her in the limo Logan could see a boy a couple of years of older than Pietro with his head wrapped in bandages.

Sniffing this woman's scent Logan felt uneasy, something was off about her.

"Hello Logan, you're late." she said with a smirk.

"Who are you, and how do you know my name?" He said letting his claws out " Better talk fast."

"Calm down, I'm here to help you. I'll be your escort." she said.

"Escort? Did-"

"Magneto send me? Yes. See you're not as dumb as you look." she said in a fake pleasant voice. "Now get in the car. Him too." she said gesturing to Pietro.

Logan growled audibly before saying. " Just cause you know bout' Magneto doesn't mean I trust you."

Smirking again she said. " What's not to trust, don't tell me that the big bad Weapon X is afraid of girls."

"That ain't it lady! Somethins' just not right about you I can smell it." he said snorting.

For a moment they stood there surveying each other until she broke the silence.

"Well, I suppose if it'll put your mind at ease I can show you."

"Show me what?" he demanded testily.

"Me." was her only reply, and before Logan and Pietro could comprehend what was happening, the crisp, strict, exterior of the woman melted away.

"What the hell?" said a bewildered Logan, for before his eyes the woman's pale white skin was growing darker and darker, until it reached a bluish hue. Her cold hazel eyes turned yellow and hungry like a cats, her previously short hair turned fiery red and grew past her shoulder. Finally her conservative business suit gave way to revealing black leather pants, and a matching black leather tank top.

When she was finished she wore a pronounced sneer.

"Surprised Weapon X?"

"You're a mutant?" he said.

"Of course you twit, now if you're done wasting my time we need to be going."

Contemplating for a second, Logan strode back towards Pietro and lifted him up by his chains.

"Hey-you-walking-razor-blade-put-me-down!"

"Good, now just throw him in the car we've got work to do."

Grudgingly obeying Logan roughly tossed Pietro into the back of the limo across from Scott.

"Anything else?' he said sardonically.

"Yes, get in." she commanded pointing one navy blue finger at the door.

"I don't usually take rides with strangers," Logan said.

"Hmph, well then you can call me Mystique."

-------------------------

For the next hour the four of them rode in silence each looking around sizing up the others. Pietro had been unusually quiet, owing to the fact that as soon as the car had started moving , Mystique took it upon herself to duct tape his mouth shut.

"First good thing that's happened all day." Logan had said.

Aside from that momentary excitement the ride up north was uneventful, until Scott broke the silence.

"So Ms. Raven," he said uncertainly "When are we going to see my brother?"

"Hmph, Ms. Raven? What've you been tellin this kid?" Logan sneered quietly.

Turning towards him with an acidic stare she said, "I think you're hardly in a position to criticize my alias. Tell me is Logan your first or last name?"

Then ignoring Logan's threatening gesture she turned towards Scott and answered his question.

"In a few minutes Scott be patient."

"Right." Scott said shifting slightly in his seat. "It's just, it's been years since I've seen him, this whole time I thought he was dead. And...now.." Scott's could no longer contain his joy, and a huge smile spread over his face. "I'll get to be with him again!" he finished happily.

"Yes," Mystique said as she looked at the silent Pietro, "Family bonds are important..."

--------------------

Twenty minutes later the limo had taken several detours through the forest, until it reached the side of a solid mountain. Stepping out Logan surveyed the situation.

"End o' the line I'd say." he growled shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Not quite, look!" the shape shifter said pointing up at the sky, and at her invitation Logan gazed upwards and was greeted with the sight of four metallic orbs coming down towards them. In a moment the orbs landed neatly in front of the group.

"Well, what are you waiting for an invite!" Mystique screamed to Logan as she helped Scott into his orb.

Staring darkly at the orbs, Logan hoisted Pietro up by his chains once again and hurled him haphazardly into the nearest orb, before getting in one himself. As soon as they were all inside the orbs closed and rose rapidly.

In the time it took the orbs to reach their destination, Scott had time to think about exactly what he was doing. _These people...Ms. Raven...that Logan guy...and most of all this Magneto, don't seem like the type to just help someone like me unless they're getting something out of it. _Shaking his head to clear of these thoughts Scott focused on his goal._ But if they've got Alex, I'll do whatever it takes to get to him._

During the long ride Scott wasn't the only one thinking, a certain tied up silver haired speed demon's mind was racing as fast as his body._ These, people have no clue what they're getting in to. He'll just use them up and then abandon them like-no! Don't think about that! Just concentrate on what's ahead. Got to keep running forward._

Eventually the silver orbs stopped, and when they opened their occupants were stunned to find themselves in what looked like a miniature hangar.

"We've gotta be at least 3 miles up, what is this place?" Logan asked.

"This Logan, is Sanctuary." came an all too familiar voice, and sure enough from behind various consoles and equipment floated the master of magnetism himself. At his appearance Pietro's eyes flashed dangerously, and they burned with anger, as muffled curse words were all that escaped his shut mouth.

Magneto surveyed the incapacitated Pietro royally for a second before speaking to him.

"Still an impetuous, foul tempered boy." he said in a dissatisfied tone, "How disappointing, I had hoped our time apart would have matured you." he said ripping the tape off Pietro's lips. With his mouth free, he spat on the ground before rounding on Magneto.

"The-only-thing-disappointing-about-our-time-apart-was-that-it-had-to-end!"

With a narrowing of his eyes Magneto raised his two front fingers, causing Pietro to be lifted off the ground an eye level with him.

"Is that any way to speak to your father, Pietro?" he asked.

End of Chapter 7

Well, there goes Chapter 7, and now to my favorite part of the writing process answering fan mail.(Well, maybe not exactly fan mail, but questions anyway.) This one comes from a loyal reader by the name of CosmicPhoenix, she's asking whether or not Victor Creed aka Sabertooth will be featured or not, and to that I can say...yes, I am planning a major storyline involving Sabertooth, however it might not make it in to X men Origins, but rather in the sequel that I am planning. Hope that answered all your questions, PM me if you have any more.(That is if the damn PM system is working.) Till next time.


	8. Chapter 8 House of M

-1Author's note

You know what if I owned Marvel ,I'd sue the shit outta everybody on this website, but I don't so let's get back to the story

Chapter 8 House of M

"Father?! Just what the hell kinda game are you playin' Magneto!?" snarled a confused and irate Logan, they had just arrived at Magneto's _Sanctuary_, where it was revealed that the young mutant Logan had been struggling to catch ,was in fact Magneto's own son.

"There is no game Logan. This is my son, Pietro." Magneto said gesturing towards the boy, and as he did the heavy metal chains snapped and fell to the floor releasing Pietro.

"You've-got-no-right-to-call-me-son-you-pompous-son-of-a-bitch!" ejaculated Pietro pointing directly at his father. "After, you left me-"

"Hold your tongue Pietro." Magneto interjected dangerously his eyes glowing yellow behind his helmet. At his fathers admonishment Pietro fell silent, but his face still looked mutinous and he was shaking. "I shall deal with you later."

Logan took a step forward until he was almost face-to-face with Magneto, before addressing him directly. "You mean to tell me, that's I've been runnin' around New York chasin' your son?" he whispered viciously, when Magneto failed to respond he continued louder, "What the hell is wrong with you! I could killed that kid!"

For a moment they both stood there eyeing each other before Magneto said coldly, "Sometimes sacrifices must be made." At this a choking silence filled the room, and even Mystique gave Magneto a quizzical look as if she were seeing him for the first time.

"That's it, I want outta this." said Logan taking a step backwards from his employer, eyeing him with disgust.

"Yeah, me too." Pietro said bitterly his hands shaking in rage, "Did'ya-hear-me-behind-that-bucket-I-want-out!"

The whole time Scott Summers had been listening, he began to think about what kind of man would sell out their own son? And what was Alex doing with this kind of person.

"Silence! The both of you!" Magneto shouted instantly quelling all talk. "I am offering you both salvation, and yet you treat me in this manner! Do you think the humans will treat you any better!? I did this to test you _both_, and it saddens me to say you've failed." he finished coldly.

He then floated closer to Mystique and Scott, "Only Mystique has passed the test." he said gesturing towards Scott. "She alone is guaranteed, Sanctuary."

"Naturally." she said with a smirk ,switching her surprised expression at Magneto's indifference towards his son, to one of gentle appraisal. However when he turned back towards Logan, and Pietro her face displayed an element of unease.

"Listen bub, I don't care how much of a god-complex you've got, I want out!" Logan said savagely pointing towards himself on the last word.

Instead of answering him Magneto floated slightly higher. He then turned his head left and right, surveying the walls which were adorned with large windows, that currently were hidden behind metal blockers.

"Behold, my ambition." he said dramatically raising his hands toward the windows and slowly the blockers lifted.

What they saw made them gasp for breath, for as the blinds were removed the image of a rotating earth came into view surrounded by the vastness of space. Pietro ran up to the window, while Logan simply stood with his mouth wide open. _Unbelievable_, he thought as the windows were fully revealed.

"Welcome to the future home of mutantkind, welcome to Asteroid M." said Magneto.

Snapping himself out of his reverie Logan faced Magneto again. "What is all this?'

Ignoring his subordinate once more, Magneto gestured towards a small silver briefcase laying on the wall. The briefcase hovered towards Logan, where upon catching it he popped the clasps, and saw several documents labeled _Weapons Plus_. Perusing these files, his eyes grew wider and his scowl more pronounced.

"That is only a taste Logan, or as I shall now call you _Wolverine._" said Magneto, and as he did a pair of dog tags floated lazily from the briefcase into Logan's hands.

He then floated over to the window and hovered next to Pietro, who turned to face his father. Whispering something to his son in Polish, the boys eyes grew wide momentarily and then contracted again. For a moment they just stood there framed by heavenly bodies behind them, but then Pietro nodded slowly, before turning back around towards the window.

Magneto then floated wordlessly towards Mystique and Scott before stopping right in front of them.

"My house is almost in order." he said to Mystique to which she nodded, taking a step back so that Scott and Magneto stood face to face.

"Scott, you and your brother have wonderful gifts, that in time will lead our race to greater prosperity." he said kindly placing a hand on Scott's shoulder as if he were a parent.

"So I've been told." he said cautiously not forgetting Magneto's earlier remarks, "When will I get to see him?"

"Right now. I need you to know that I will come threw on my promises. In other words I need you to _trust_ me Scott." he said placing his other hand on Scott's other shoulder.

"Just let me see my brother and you'll have my trust." Scott lied.

"Of course." Magneto said removing his hands from the boys shoulders and beginning to float away. "Mystique?"

"Right," she nodded "Come along Scott, it's time for a little family reunion." and as she said this she led Scott, in Magneto's wake exiting the room and entering a long hallway, with many doors. As they trailed along Scott began to ask questions of Magneto.

"Where did you find Alex anyway? And how?" he asked eagerly holding on to Mystiques arm for support and guidance.

Laughing softly he replied, "He was not hard to find. I spotted him in a shop in Hawaii. While there, a few fools thought that they would make sport of what they perceived as a helpless old man." Scott walked along contemplating what a guy like Magneto would be doing in the vacation capital of the world, but his thoughts were interrupted when Magneto continued the story.

"Before I could show them the _error_ of their ways." he said making a fist, "Young Alex, intervened," at Alex's name Scott's stomach clenched up hoping his little brother hadn't gotten in serious trouble. "I believe it was the first time he had used his powers. By the time he was through the scene was one of complete havoc. Afterwards the boy was distraught, until I offered him a place in my haven, along with a knowledge and understanding of what he is, and what he was meant to do." he finished prophetically.

At the end of the story Scott felt even more weary about this Magneto. _What kind of a man encourages destruction?_ He thought.

"And you just gave him this, out of the _goodness_ in your heart?" Scott asked critically, which garnered a brief unseen glance from Mystique.

"No, not exactly." Magneto said truthfully which threw Scott off slightly, he had been expecting some long winded speech about how his motives were purely altruistic.

Instead Magneto continued on in a quiet yet powerful voice. "In this world, humans outnumber us by odds more than 20 to 1. We have no choice but to stick together for our survival." This surprised Scott more than anything else that had happened, because it was almost exactly what the Professor had said.

After he said this Scott merely walked on and listened to what he had to say.

"I will admit, my methods could be considered _extreme_ but, I realize that we are on the cusp of a new era in history, and I intend to make sure mutantkind makes it threw unscathed. No matter what." he said forcibly. Scott didn't exactly buy everything he had to say, but he had to admit that he did respect it.

"We're here." Magneto said stopping in front of one of the doors, which opened automatically, revealing a large bedroom. At the window stood a handsome boy about a head shorter than Scott. His yellow head was currently facing the window, and one of his tan hands lay on the surface.

"Go to him Scott." Magneto said gesturing towards the door, evidently the boy hadn't notice the crowd at his door yet. And so stepping blindly past Magneto and Mystique Scott entered his little brothers room unnoticed. Unaware of what he should say or do he soon opened his mouth and said the name he had wanted to say for the past ten years.

"Alex?..."

As he heard his name being spoken by a curiously familiar voice he turned around a spotted a boy that looked vaguely like someone he once knew. It then dawned on him, and as if he had been struck with lightning he yelled out his brothers name and ran towards his open arms.

"Scott!"

-------------------

Meanwhile Logan was avidly poring over the documents Magneto had left him. For the most part, all the sensitive information had been covered by black ink. However, some information had remained. For example the name "John Wraith" appeared on nearly every page, and this wasn't the only names that seemed to pique Logan's interest. On the first page labeled _"Weapon I"_ the name Steve Rogers stuck in Logan's mind. Unable to match a face with the name, he flipped several more censored pages until he stopped at one labeled _"Weapon X."_

With his brow knitted Wolverine gazed at the document. Like the rest, it was mostly censored however a few names remained under the header. David North, James Howlett, Victor Creed, and Silver Fox. At the name Silver Fox something stirred vaguely in Logan's memory.

Flash! He was standing outside an old-fashioned log cabin with the letters SF+L with a heart around them etched into the door. Inside he heard the sounds of sobbing and heavy breathing. As if he were in a dream the door slowly opened, and he was greeted with the horrible sight of a beautiful Indian woman with silver hair, cowering in the corner covered in blood, her clothes tattered, and her voice which was filled with weak sobs . Standing in front of her was a hulking beastly figure staring hungrily at her body, at the sound of Logan coming in the figure turned around.

"Welcome home runt, hope you're as _hospitable_ as her." he said with a sadistic laugh that rang through Logan's soul and awakened him violently from his memory.

"Damnit! What did they do to me!?" he shouted plunging his claws into the desk he was sitting at. Breathing heavily, he turned to see a smug looking Pietro laughing at him.

"What's-the-matter-midget-maniac? Boogeyman-scare-ya?" he said mockingly zipping out of the way as Logan lunged at him.

Growling Logan said, "I don't care whose kid you are, I'm gonna rip you apart!"

"Gotta-catch-me-first!"

And for the next few minutes Logan chased the speedster around the compound relentlessly, until Mystique walked in and commanded them to stop.

"Hey, I don't take orders from _you_!" Logan said pointing a clawed hand at her.

"No, of course you don't. Be my guest continue to wreak havoc here, and when one of you dolts accidentally breaks a window and goes flying off into to space I'm sure it will be worth it!" she said sarcastically. Reluctantly Logan retracted his claws and Pietro slowed down.

"He-started-it."

"What're you doin' back here anyway? By now I thought Magneto woulda' had you busy with _other_ things." Wolverine said with a smirk.

"What do you mean by other things.?" Mystique said dangerously her eyes flashing.

Walking slowly around her and looking at her up and down as if he were appraising furniture he finally said, " I mean come on, it's gotta be nice havin' a woman that can turn into _anybody._ I bet you take some interestin shapes for him." he finished walking past her.

"How...DARE...you!!" she screamed shaking with fury, as the Canadian laughed all the way down the hall.

--------------------

"I can't believe this is happening!" Scott exclaimed his arms around his brother.

"Believe it Bro," answered Alex into the shoulder of his older brother.

As the two Summers brothers embraced, Magneto watched them with great interest. _It would be interesting to see which is superior._ He thought.

"I've got alot to tell you Scott." said Alex breaking the hug. 'It's been a wild ride man."

"I wanna hear it all, start from the beginning."

And for the next half hour Alex explained everything to Scott, how he had bee adopted by the Masters family, how Magneto had found him, and then the conversation turned lighter as the two brothers began to get to know each other again. The bonding was only interrupted when Magneto decided to glide over.

"I'm sorry to cut this short, but time is a luxury we don't have. All the preparations are ready Alex."

Alex nodded as if he understood and got up from the bed. Scott merely sat there looking unsure of what to do.

"Right, I'll be there in a sec."

"Good, I 'll be waiting." and as he said this Magneto left the room.

Once Magneto had left Scott turned to the sound of his brothers voice.

"Preparations for what Alex?" he asked confusedly.

Hesitating for a second Alex looked at his brother and said.

"Magneto's got this machine. He calls it the cauldron, it's sposed to advance your mutation to it's greatest level."

"Does it work?" Scott asked curiously.

"Yeah, ...I mean it should ...he's never tested it before." Alex finished somewhat lamely. At this point Scott stood up.

"If he hasn't tested it before, how do we know it won't hurt you or worse!" Scott said panicking slightly, the thought of losing his brother so soon after he'd found him was unbearable.

"Whoa! Take it easy Scott. Magneto's a good guy, he'd never do anything to hurt any of us, man." Alex answered slightly defensively.

Shaking his head slightly Scott said, " I don't know bro, it looks to me like Magneto would do anything to get what he wants. I just wanna make sure you don't get hurt."

Angrily pushing away from Scott and walking towards the door Alex said.

"I'll be fine man! Don't talk about what you don't understand!" he yelled harshly.

Shocked by his brothers sudden outburst, Scott tried to apologize.

"Alex I..."

"Ah, forget it man it's my fault. I'm just a little nervous about this you know? I mean he says that this machine'll a give me better control over my powers but I-"

"It's okay bro," Scott said walking over to Alex, "You won't be there alone, I'll go in with you."

"R-Really?" Alex said looking extremely relieved.

"Sure thing." Scott answered flashing a smile. "It'll be like a Summers family reunion."

"Yeah, cept' no drunk Uncle Rob." Alex said with a smile.

"Yeah let's hope so." Scott said with a laugh.

------------------------------

Though she often represented the powerful ,terrifying , disastrous side of nature, Ororo Munroe was more than capable of exhibiting it's tender nurturing side as well. Case in point her lavish garden. Set atop of the X mansion it was her sanctuary from a world that often looked upon her with fear and hatred. But, up here the flowers and ferns didn't care that she was a mutant, nor did they seek to use her gifts for their own advantages, as long as she provided them with plentiful sunlight and water they loved her. Even now she was producing miniature rain clouds over each of them. Yes it was paradise, her own private garden of Eden, serene, peaceful, and most of all quie-

"HEADS UP!"

Storm turned around just in time to dodge a small fast moving white ball. Unfortunately for her the grace that allowed her to avoid a broken nose shattered the vase of one of her most prized flowers. Shaking with anger, with the skies darkening overhead she stalked to the edge of the roof looking for the culprit, though she already had a good idea of who it was. When she looked down she spotted a sheepish and very afraid Bobby Drake, trying to hide a bat behind his back as innocently as possible.

"H-Hey Storm, nice day for some ole;' fashioned baseball right?" he said timidly noticing how the clouds were beginning to circle above him.

"I don't she's buyin it frosty!" said his companion Jubilee holding a catcher's glove.

"Why'd you have to aim for the roof anyway!?" she screamed at him.

At this Bobby turned oddly sheepish and began muttering something about wanting too see how far he could make it go.

But before they could start arguing Storm had begun to float down towards them. She landed daintily a few feet away from while the wind began to pick up dangerously.

"Does this belong to you?" she said testily holding the ball in her slender hands.

"Uhhh..." Bobby began turning towards Jubilee with a look that said_ Man she is gonna kill us!_ But to his surprise Jubilee had retreated several paces._ Traitor!_ he thought.

"_Do_ be more careful Robert, this is the second time this week." she said impatiently.

"Yeah. Sure. No problem-o!" Bobby replied, and now that it looked like Storm _wasn't_ going to kill them Jubilee stepped back forward and with an apologetic glance towards her friend, joined in the soothing of Storm.

Amused at their slightly fearful expressions Storm couldn't help but smile at them. _It's only been a week since they've moved in, but it already feels like we're family._ She thought.

_X-Men assemble now, in the conference room._ Came the Professor's voice in their heads.

"You heard him, let's go." Storm said.

------------------------

A few minutes later they had all assembled in the large conference room, where the Professor wasted little time in briefing them.

"Cerebro has picked up a mutant signature near here."

"Alright, new roommate!" Bobby said reclining in his chair.

"Hey, what's wrong with your old one?" Forge said indignantly looking at Bobby over the Professor's shoulder.

Letting all four legs of his chair hit the ground Bobby said, "No offense Forge but you're kind of a geek."

"I'll take that as a compliment comin' from a guy that's gonna end up as a refrigerator after high school."

Jean, and Jubilee laughed while Bobby covertly gave Forge the finger.

"Ahem, all jokes aside I doubt that this mutant will be a suitable roommate for you Robert. You see this mutant is a girl." said the Professor.

"A girl huh, alright even better." said Bobby as Jubilee gave him a look colder than his powers.

"What's this girls name Professor?' asked Jean as Jubilee defiantly ignored a bewildered Bobby.

"Ah yes, her name is Lorna Dane. And she lives about four hours away from here." he said pointing towards her position on their holo-map.

"That's quite a drive Charles." Storm said to the Professor.

"Yes, well I thought we could make it a sort of..road trip." he replied, "You, Jean, Bobby, and Jubilee."

"What about you Forge? Why aren't you going?" Jean asked him.

"I'm gonna stay behind and help the Professor, with some modifications to Cerebro." he replied.

At this Storm eyed Charles, as if trying to see what he was thinking.

"Indeed he is, now you've all got a big trip ahead, you'd best get ready.'" he said as he folded his hands on his lap.

"You all go ahead, I want a word with the Professor." Strom said as the rest of the team left, Jubilee still ignoring Bobby.

"What's on your mind Storm?" he asked as if he already didn't know.

"You _know_ what's on my mind Charles. These sudden recruitments, these unexplained modifications to Cerebro. Does this all have something to do with that boy?" she said frankly.

Xavier had to admire her toughness even when she was grilling him.

"Partly. His disappearance has troubled me, almost as much as his appearance." he replied.

"Your talking about, that interference you told me about right? " she said taking a seat on the edge of the table.

"Yes, Moira told me that the interference was magnetic in nature, which could mean only one thing..."

"Magneto." she answered for him, standing up.

"I'm afraid so."

Pausing for a moment Storm said, "You don't think that the boy is _with_ Magneto do you?'

Sighing and wheeling towards the door he replied, "It's too early to tell, but if he is ,that only spells trouble for us." After he said this he quietly wheeled out of the room.

Storm stood there for a few moment mulling over what had just happened.

"And today started out so good." she said before exiting the room as well.

------------------------

Scott shivered as the cold metal met his bare skin. He and his brother Alex were inside two transparent tubes strapped to metallic slabs. He had agreed to go through with this experiment only so his brother wouldn't have to do it alone, but now he was having second thoughts.

Beside him Alex was having similar doubts but before he could open his mouth Magneto spoke.

"Are you both ready?"

Looking over to Scott, Alex nodded his head yes.

"Good. Mystique?" Magneto said looking over at Mystique who was seated at one of the many consoles, at his command she flipped the switched, and a pearly white gas enveloped both Alex and Scott. They coughed and sputtered as the gas choked them, suffocated them, but soon they grew silent. Logan and Pietro only stared quietly amazed at what they were seeing.

"What's happening to them?" asked Pietro his face inches away from the glass of Scott's tube.

"They are reaching their full potential." was his reply, turning towards Mystique again, she flipped the second switch.

And to everyone's shock and wonder a blinding light filled both tubes for a few seconds, causing all save for Magneto to shield their eyes. When the light dissipated Magneto pointed towards the tubes.

"There" he said his voice filled with an excitement that was rarely heard.

With a yelp Pietro dashed away from the tubes as they began to open.

"Come to me my children."

And as Magneto said this smoke billowed out of the devices shrouding everything in hazy mystery. But even through the smoke, Logan with his enhanced sights could vaguely make out two figures moving towards them...

To be Continued...

Well there goes Chapter 8, wow that was fast, anyway fattywantapoptart asks how long will this story be? And to that I say that is a good question, honestly I don't know, not longer than 15 chapters(at least I don't think...) but you never know most of the time when I write it rarely comes out how I planned. For example Scott Summers aka Cyclops was sposed to be introduced in Chapter 3, instead he didn;t make it in till Chapter 6. So my point is I don't know _exactly_ how long this is going to last, but I do know that it won't be some huge epic of Biblical proportions, that's what sequels are for. Till next time see'ya.


	9. RespiteSabertooth Oneshot

-1Respite/ Savage Instincts II

I'm sorry to disappoint you my loyal fans but this is not a real chapter. Due to extraneous circumstances such as exams, reports, graduation, and a play that have been contracted to write I'm not gonna be able to write this story for a little while. Now don't go taking me off you're alert lists or anything, I will be back sometime in the next few weeks when school ends and I have more time to work on this great story. Now since doesn't _allow_ things of this nature I'll give you all a little one-shot to tide you over. (This takes place in the same universe as X men Origins, which will now be referred to as the XMO universe, and I don't own Marvel.) Oh yeah before I go I'll answer these two questions, first the images of Beast, Angel, and Psylocke(nice job catching that one by the way.) were past students, and second as to what happened to Rocky, let's just say a certain bald guy in a wheel chair did some mind wiping.

The hunger he felt was a burning storm inside his blackened soul. Long ago he had traded civility, and humanity for the pleasureable aspects of life, murder, torture, rape, coercion. All these factors combined made him one of the most dangerous souls alive. And on this night he was on the prowl, on this night Sabertooth was loose.

Free from control, or the leashes others put upon him, he served no man and no thing, save for his insatiable bloodlust. Bounding through the forest with all the agility and fierceness of his namesake. Pausing for a moment he sniffed the air, deeply inhaling the musky scents around, savoring their taste. With a howl he found the one he was looking for and lept off once again.

After awhile his search brought him to a dense forest clearing, where a sliver of moonlight reflected in his icy blue eyes. Inhaling deeply once again, he held the scent in his nostrils apparently relishing its smell. Then blowing it out he spoke in a voice that was like the sound of a beast capturing its prey.

"Wolverine..."

"Yes, your old friend was here." came a feminine voice from the darkness.

Hardly surprised Sabertooth merely stared as a petite figure with, sky blue hair emerged into the moonlight.

"Birdy...you're...late.." he growled menacingly addressing the woman.

"Calm yourself, Victor. It is I that have been waiting for you."

Laughing softly to himself he began to lick a suspicious red substance from his hands.

"Heh, guess you're right. But I ran into an old friend and had to _chew_ the fat with em'."

At this her pale eyes narrowed. "Who have you killed tonight Victor?" she said in an icy tone. "I _thought_ the purpose of these sessions was to cure you of your violent urges! But you seem perfectly content in maintaining them!" she finished in a shout stamping her foot.

Taking a step towards her, grass and leaves crunching underfoot he said dangerously, "You've been in my head kid. You know _exactly_ what I want." By the time he had finished talking he was almost face to face with her, his hot breath stinking of blood beating down on her.

"Fine." she said defiantly, "One last time Creed, and then I'm done with _you_."

His lip curling into a sick smile he said, "Works for me kid, just make sure it's a _good_ jolt this time, last time you left me wantin' more."

With a look of revulsion on her face, the young mutant telepath placed her hands on either side of Victor Creeds head. Grimacing at the thought of what lay ahead of her in the mind of Sabertooth, she shut her eyes and began the process, he referred to as the _glow._

In a flash the forest disappeared, and Birdy was in a dingy dank basement. On the damp brick walls were heavy iron chains, the chains themselves ensnared a young fair haired boy, who stank of his own waste. Beside the boy lay several bones, gnawed down to the marrow sitting dejectedly on the floor in a puddle of water.

The boy was scrawny, and looked malnourished and unwashed, with weeks of dirt and mortar underneath his abnormally sharp nails. All of sudden the bleak darkness was penetrated by a light from above. The door had opened.

With a gasp, the boys icy blue grew wide with fear as he scurried around trying to escape his chains frantically biting them with his sharp pointed teeth. All the while two figures approached slowly from the stairs. One walked purposefully with a set of pliers in his hands, while the other trailed behind in a submissive way.

"I'm gonna fix you if it takes all night boy!" the man shouted in a threatening tone drawing ever closer.

"We can't do this to him John I mean he's only-" pleaded the woman before her husband interrupted her.

"You shut yer goddamn yap woman! If I pulls out them devil teeth then maybe I can beat the evil outta him!"

And as they argued the walked closer and closer to the boy, finally when they had reached him the man began to advance upon him with the pliers, the woman jumped in between them shielding the child.

"M-Maybe we're bein' given a _trial_, l-like Job!" she said desperately, " I mean ther's gotta be reason for this John, we're not bad people -AIEEEE!!!!" she screamed as the boy sank his fangs into her outstretched hand.

"See what did I tell you woman? Now step back."

Sobbing silently she did as she was, while the man cautiously approached the boy pliers in hand.

The boys terrified eyes reflected the metal pliers drawing closer and closer to his teeth...

"NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" Birdy screamed as she withdrew her hands from Creed's temples while he stood there salivating perversely.

"Real nice down home religious man, my old man was." he growled while surveying the traumatized woman.

"Seein' as you don' want no more ta do with me. I guess we should _part_ ways." he said menacingly raising a clawed hand slowly into the air.

"Don' worry baby, you'll be goin out in style."

But before he could make a killing blow his sensitive ears picked up the sound of footsteps coming towards them. Alarmingly fast the clearing was filled with soldiers all armed to the teeth with their weapons trained on Sabertooth. While contemplating how many of them he could take down, another figure stepped into the moonlight. And even before Creed could make out the face, he was almost sure that it wore an eyepatch.

"Fury..." he growled menacingly turning his head towards the man.

Flicking a toothpick from his lips the man simply said in a deadpan voice,

"Victor Creed you are hereby being taken into the custody of S.H.I.E.L.D, courtesy of Agent Nick Fury. Now we can do this the easy way, or-" he lifted his hand and the soldiers all cocked their guns, Sabertooth eyeing each one of them, "We can do this he hard way. So how's this gonna go down?"

With that threat hanging in the air Victor Creed growled audibly, while elsewhere a girl by the name of Lorna Dane was just finishing her homework, when a knock sounded at her front door.

Thinking it was her parents home from a night of bowling, _How dorky._ She had thought, Lorna didn't consider asking who it was. After she opened the door, the last thing she remembered seeing was a streak of white hair, on top of a brown head, while a girls hand quickly reached for her face...


	10. Chapter 10 Beauty and the Beast

-1Author's note

Hey it's me, yeah I know it's been awhile, I'll explain my absence in the end notes, but for now let's just get right into what you've been waiting for, and of course I don't own Marvel( insert your own funny joke about owning Marvel here, I'm fresh out.)

Chapter 10 Beauty and the Beast/ Making Connections

"Ah yeah, Road trip!" Bobby yelled enthusiastically as he leaped down the last two steps leading out of the Xavier institute, and ran towards the awaiting X-van.

"I call shotgun!" Jubilee answered with equal enthusiasm, sprinting past him and making it to the car door first.

"You snooze you lose Frosty." she said with a mocking smile as they waited for the less excited Storm and Jean to catch up.

_We'll see about that._ Bobby thought silently, as a mischievous idea crossed his teenage mind. Reaching into his jacket pocket with his right hand, Bobby began to slowly form snow, careful to make it as cold and wet as possible, without actually making a ball of ice.

"What's with that look on your face Drake?" Jubilee questioned suspiciously, "It's not like you to just give up _that_ easily."

Getting nothing but the same fox like look from Bobby she unwisely turned towards the van as Storm approached the drivers side.

"I mean look, I know you're used to losing to me all the time but at least put in an eff-"

SPLAT!

As Jubilee was gloating over her "victory" Bobby hurled the snowball at her, showering the back of her onyx colored head with snowflakes, making it seem that she had just aged thirty years.

"YOU LITTLE CREEP!"

"Come on Lee, what happened to you snooze you lose?!" Bobby yelled mockingly as he dodged Jubilee's fireworks.

"Wait till' I get my hands on you Drake!! We'll see how well you can make snowballs when your head's shoved up your-"

"My, my they've certainly improved." Jean said as she carefully sidled past Jubilee and grabbed the passenger seat, who incidentally didn't notice because she was too busy hurling fireworks at Bobby.

Storm shot Jean a look that said ,don't encourage them, as the pair stepped into the van.

'Oh come on Storm lighten up." Jean pleaded, "You've got to admit that since they've been here those two have really gotten a handle on their powers."

For a moment Storm said nothing as she cranked up the van, but then she turned towards Jean.

"I'm just worried that they may be getting carried away a little. Giving your powers too much of a free reign can be a dangerous thing." she said shooting Jean a meaningful look.

Jean's gaze dropped to her lap, if she knew the conversation would have come to this she wouldn't have said anything at all.

When Jean looked up again it seemed as if Storm was staring past her and not at her, which confirmed her worst suspicions.

"Storm look, I know that you and the Professor think that my powers are dangerous. But I want you both to know that I would never let them control me, I'd never to anything to hurt any of you."

After she said this her eyes dropped back to her lap, but feeling a hand on her shoulder Jean looked up to see Storm staring at her in a motherly fashion.

"We know that Jean. Without a doubt you are the most caring, intelligent, and beautiful young woman I have ever had the good fortune to meet."

Storm allowed Jean a moment to bask in this praise before continuing with her point.

"But you also have the potential to be one of the most powerful mutants to ever exist. We are just a little worried about the stress that responsibility could have on you, that's all."

Feeling better Jean reached up and grasped Storm's hand in her own.

"I know Storm, and it really makes me happy that you and the Professor don't think that I'm some ticking time bomb ready to explode."

"And it makes _me_ happy to think that we've raised a girl that's mature enough to realize her full potential, now is it just me or did it get suddenly quiet outside?"

"Yeah you're right."

The two then turned their heads outside to find Bobby and Jubilee both collapsed spread eagled on the ground out of exhaustion.

"Good grief." Storm said as she rolled her eyes and stepped out of the van, with Jean following suit.

Upon closer inspection of the two young mutants Jean and Storm both agreed that they had looked better.

Jubilee was covered in snow, half of which that had melted sticking to her clothes. And Bobby's clothes were singed and burnt, with small embers on the cuffs of his jeans.

"So this is the future of the X-men huh?" Jean asked peering down at the soaked Jubilation Lee.

"Unfortunately." Storm responded with a sigh as she gazed at the charred Bobby Drake.

"Come on let's get them in the van."

--------------------------

An hour and a few cups of coffee later the foursome were on their way.

"I hope you two have learned your lesson back there." Storm said sternly as she drove down Main Street glancing into the rear view mirror at the pathetic sight.

"I-I-It was B-B-Bobby's f-f-ault!" Jubilee chattered wrapping a blanket over her self even tighter.

"My fault!? Thanks to you my best shirt looks like something Satan would serve for dinner!" Bobby shot back as he caused a steady stream of cold air to flow from his hand over his burns.

Seeing the two argue Jean couldn't help but laugh, before she voiced something she was curious about.

"So where exactly are we headed, I noticed the highway is in the other direction." she said coyly.

Storm blushed slightly before stopping to park the van in front of a large apartment building.

"I need to stop and see Hank quickly." she said as fast as possible determined to avoid Jeans' gaze.

"Ohhhh, so this is a da-" Jean began before a menacing look and a pointed finger from Storm stopped her. At this point even Jubilee and Bobby had stopped arguing in order to hear about this mysterious love connection of Storm's.

Feeling all the eyes in the van on her Strom softened her gaze and spoke in a voice of forced calm.

"Hank, and I are old friends, and colleagues. What we have to talk about is strictly business. I repeat we are just friends."

Jean nodded her head in mock agreement for a moment.

"Riiiiiiiight Storm, friends don't look at each other like that."

"Have you-" Storm began in an accusatory tone, before it was Jeans' turn to interrupt.

"No! I haven't been reading your mind! And why does everyone think that I do!?" she said defensively ,shooting a look at Bobby who crumpled under her stare, "Besides when it's obvious like you and Hank, you don't have to be psychic to tell."

Sighing slightly Storm relented and unfastened her seatbelt.

"In any case we still have to talk." And then snapping back to her more authoritative voice, "While I'm gone I want you two to stay here with Jean and _please_-" she said with a pleading look at the two teens in the backseat, "-no powers."

"Yeah, yeah, we know," they both said in unison.

"Good, now Jean I'm leaving you in charge, I shouldn't be too long."

And with that edict she strolled inside the building as Jean telepathically sang _It's Amore_ in her head. Once Jean had her fun she turned to her young friends, preparing to stress to them the importance of keeping a low profile in public when something or rather someone caught her eye.

A girl a few years younger than herself was stumbling into an alley. There were a few things strange about her, for one she seemed to be drunk, or in some state of stupefaction, and two her hair, which was brown with a shocking white streak, stuck to her pale skin due to the way she was sweating. Thinking that this girl was sick Jean was going to get out and check on her. But then she realized that she wasn't the only one that had noticed the girl. Five guys in about their early twenties had seen the girl, and like sharks attracted to blood in the water they looked around covertly before stalking into the alley she had fell in. Seeing the look in their eyes and knowing what they were planning Jean hesitated for a moment before quickly unfastening her seatbelt and getting out of the van to follow them.

"Hey! Where you goin'? Storm said to stay here!" Bobby yelled at her advancing backside.

"I'm just going to check something out! You two stay there, and no you-know-what!" she responded with a glance over her shoulders and a stern look worthy of Storm.

"What's she up to?" Bobby thought suspiciously, as Jean rounded the corner and disappeared into the passageway. Not waiting for an answer to come to his brain he opened the door and leapt out intent on following.

"Where are you going! Storm told us to stay here." Jubilee hissed at him.

"Correction Storm told us to stay with Jean, now we wouldn't be good students if we didn't listen to our teacher now would we?" Bobby asked with a devilish grin.

For a moment Jubilee didn't say anything. But then,

"Wait up, I'm coming too!" she said flashing a grin of her own.

---------------------------------------

_Tenth floor, Eleventh floor, Twelfth floor, Thirteenth floor, it figures he would stay on the top floor of a building._ Storm thought as the elevator grinded to a halt, and the doors opened, and a stooped old lady stepped on as Storm stepped off. The woman eyed her for a moment before remembering something.

"Excuse me Miss, your name wouldn't happen to be Ms. Munroe would it?"

Stopping and turning back towards the old woman Storm responded in a surprised manner.

"Why, yes it would. How did you know that? I don't believe we have met before."

Now sure of herself the old woman stepped out of the elevator to face Storm.

"No we haven't but you fit the description, that that boy gave me."

Still confused Storm pressed her for more information.

"Boy? What boy?"

"Actually he's not a boy really he's a man. He stays on this floor. Doctor you know, name was something like Herman, or Harry or-"

"Hank?"

"Yeah, Hank that's it! He told me that if I were to see a very beautiful black woman, with a little bit of an accent and white hair that I should give her a message."

"And what is the message." Storm asked, her curiosity building, and her patience dwindling.

"Go away!"

"Excuse me?" Storm asked indignantly.

"That's the message go away. He said he didn't want to see anyone, especially you."

Trying to keep the pain she felt out of her voice Storm continued.

"How did he tell you this, I mean to say was he outside or-"

"No, no that's the peculiar thing he told me this threw his door as I was walking by, never opened the door a crack."

Understanding dawned on Storm, and she thanked the woman for the message and assured her that Hank really did want to see her.

"I don't know he sounded pretty clear this morning."

Fire in her eyes Storm said

"Trust me he doesn't have a choice right now."

After the woman left Storm marched over to Hank's door and rapped on it hard and loud.

"I know you're in there Hank ,we need to talk!"

Still with no answer she pounded the door harder.

"Hank open up this door! You _don't_ want me, to open it!"

Once again with no answer Storm stepped back and looked up and down the hallway making sure it was clear._ I hate hypocrisy_. She thought for a moment.

And then with her eyes turning white and her luxurious hair whipping behind her ,she summoned a huge gust of gale force wind blowing the door clean off it's hinges.

When Storm walked into the room she saw that it was shrouded in darkness.

"What's going on here Hank?" she said as she fingered the wall groping for the light switch.

"Go away..." came a harsh voice from somewhere in the room.

Undeterred by his reluctance Storm continued to search blindly for the lights.

"Hank, there is obviously something wrong with you! You haven't answered any of my calls or emails, for the past week! Please let me help you! Let me see you!"

"You won't like what you see..." he said in a voice filled with sadness.

"Let me be the judge of that." she said firmly finally finding the light switch, and illuminating the darkness.

What she saw was Doctor Hank McCoy, a brilliant scientist, and renowned researcher in genetics, but now he more closely resembled his codename, Beast.

For a moment the two stood there gazing at each other, before she broke the silence and the tension with a smile.

"You know blue is my favorite color."

--------------------

It was a few minutes later and Hank had just reattached the door as Storm made tea for the two of them.

"So let me see if I understand the situation correctly Hank," Storm said as she set the tea tray down on Hanks coffee table, "Your holo-watch broke a week ago, and you haven't been out of the apartment since then?"

"You make it sound as if I could just go and pick out a new one at Tiffany's." Hank said as he sat down across from her.

"But I still don't understand, you could have fixed it if you really wanted to, you're a genius."

Getting up from the table and pacing around slightly he answered her.

"I'm tired of hiding Storm, I'm sick of donning a fake identity to simply go the grocery store or too buy a book. No man should have to live like that."

Pausing for a moment he ran his ape like hands through his indigo fur before continuing.

"But I was afraid of how yo-, how people would react to the _real_ me. I mean look at me I'm not a man, I'm a monster." When he finished speaking he buried his face in his hands and didn't hear Storm walk behind him. Placing a hand on his shoulder she leaned forward and spoke softly in his ear.

"Hank the _real_ you is not some monster, nor is it a fake holographic image.The_ real_ you is the most brilliant, sweet, and gentle man. The_ real_ you is poetic and kind, yet clever and urbane. The _real_ you has become such an huge part of my life that I hadn't realized how important you really were until you were gone from it."

Beast turned to face her and for a few seconds they looked into each other's eyes as she moved closer to Beast, and then slowly her eyes began to close. Hank had a genius level intellect, but in matters of the heart he had very little experience. As a child he never really learned how to say what he felt, so he had grown accustomed to saying what he thought he should say.

"I can't do this Ororo. I'm sorry but I'm not what you want."

Instantly Storm came crashing back down to reality, and opened her eyes.

"How can you decide what it is that I want?" she said fiercely her eyes boring into his.

"We can't have a future, I'm sorry but you won't be happy." he said pain etched into every line of his face.

"What if I don't care about the future? What if I just care about right now?" she shot back not backing down, she then reached up to touch his face with her hands, "Hank don't you-"

"Listen to me." he said firmly removing her hands from his face and at the same time marveling at how soft they were, and wishing that he could never let go. "You can't be happy with someone like me."

Storm let her hands slide from his and stared at him for a second.

"Fine then."

She then turned on her heel and walked to the newly repaired door, with her hand on the knob she turned towards him and spoke again, this time blinking back tears, an unfamiliar vulnerability in her voice.

"I don't know how you know what I want, when you don't even know what _you_ want." She then opened the door still looking at him, "You have two choices Hank, you can leave here with _me_ and live life, taking a chance and being happy. Or you can stay isolated up here, torn up, and unsure of who or what you are, killing yourself slowly. The choice is yours it is either now or never."

For what felt like an eternity they stood there beauty and the beast, both on the edge of the proverbial cliff looking into each others eyes. But after awhile Beast dropped his gaze towards the floor.

"As I said before, Ororo I cannot do this ,not _now."_ he said the pleading obvious in his voice.

If this was a great blow to Storm she didn't show it, but her eyes did flashed momentarily white.

"Then it will be never. Good'bye Hank."

And with that she walked through the door and was down the hall before Hank could say a word.

"Good'bye my beautiful Storm."

And as he looked outside he saw that it began to rain lightly.

------------------------------

Meanwhile

"How is it bro?"

"It's great, it's been such a long time I guess that I'd forgotten what it felt like to actually look at something."

The two Summers brothers were walking down Main Street together, and for the first time in a long time Scott Summers could see. Magneto's machine had in his words, "accelerated the evolution of their mutant genes." Scott didn't understand the technology but he knew one thing for the first time in his life he had full control over his powers, he could look at someone without putting them through a wall.

"See Scott I told you Magneto's looking out for us, he really has our best interests at heart."

It was a few hours after they had first stepped into the machine, and Magneto had sent them all down to earth ,with the exception of Wolverine, on a scouting mission. Immediately when they landed Mystique said she had somewhere to be and disappeared, Pietro wasted no time in speeding off as well, leaving the two Summers brothers in his dust. But Scott didn't mind to tell the truth he thought the young speedster was a bit of an ass.

"It's not that I don't trust Magneto," Scott said as they walked past a group of girls that giggled as they passed, "It's just that-hey! Are you even listening to me!"

Alex had turned around to follow their progress of the girls, when Scott grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around.

"You haven't been listening to a word I've said!" he accused.

"Ah lighten up Scott, come on man we're young and you've got to admit chicks dig the hair." and as he said this he flipped some of his new chalk white hair out of his eyes.

Another side effect of the Cauldron was that it had turned both of their heads white, not unlike Pietro's hair.

Scott smiled for a second before playfully shoving his brother forward.

'I think you're overestimating your animal magnetism, little bro." he said jokingly.

"Oh yeah," Alex said giving his brother a punch in the arm, "Well tell me how many girls you've reeled in Romeo."

"I-uh- I mean"

"So I'm guessing that would be zero then huh?"

"Hey cut me some slack, it's hard to meet girls when you're afraid that you'll blast them to the moon if you look at them."

"Good point ,which is why today is the perfect time to start. Check it out."

A block or two up ahead of them a scarlet haired girl had just emerged from a van and ducked into an alley.

"Pretty hot huh bro?" Alex asked giving his brother a sideways look.

"Yeah, definitely. Hey check it out what's that all about?"

A few seconds after the girl had stepped out two kids about Alex's age stepped out also, and followed her in a way that suggested that they were doing something they weren't supposed to.

"What is she baby-sitting or something?" Alex asked voicing what Scott was thinking.

"Well if she is then we have something in common."

"Hah, hah, and did I mention hah. So are you gonna talk to her or what bro?"

Scott didn't usually make it a habit to just approach a girl randomly on the street, but ever since his sight had been restored he felt a strange boldness, a confidence. He didn't feel invincible, but he definitely felt untouchable, like a prize fighter or something. Letting this new daring take over his body he moved forward to where he last saw her.

"So I'm guessing that's a yes."

------------------------

"What did you just say?"

Jean stood her ground as the five men leered at her menacingly. The one nearest took a step closer.

"I don't think I heard you correctly girl."

Glancing at the girl briefly who was still sweating profusely, Jean took a step forward also.

"I said why don't you creeps do something with your lives, instead of preying on helpless girls."

The guy smiled and eyed her up and down, visualizing every curve of her body.

"You've got a lotta nerve, but that's okay I like em' feisty red." he then tried to place his hands on her hips, but at this point Jean had had enough, and the thought of being touched by this scumbag threw her over the edge. Before she knew it, she backed up and threw a right cross that floored him. For a moment no-one moved until the guy reached up to his face and drew back bloody fingers.

"You bitch! Get her!"

_Uh_ _oh, _Jean thought,_ five of them and one of me._

Part of her was busy making sure that she didn't use her powers in this fight, while the other part that had spent years reading texts dealing with feminine pride and power, screamed for their destruction. Unfortunately for Jean this inner battle took a backseat to the outer one she was experiencing. Before she knew it one of the men lunged at her. Dodging nimbly to the side, she caused him to fall flat on his face, while she attempted to side step the advances of a second man, the third managed to sneak up on her. His muscular arms wrapped tightly around her chest she could barely breathe let alone move.

"That's good man hold her right there." The first guy said picking himself up off the ground and moving towards Jean cracking his knuckles.

"We'll see how smart that mouth of yours is when you don't have any teeth."

He cocked back his fist and prepared to deliver a blow that would break Jean's nose.

Jean closed her eyes and prepared to take the hit, knowing that if she used her powers she risked more than just a black eye.

"Say your prayers bi-"

WHAM!

Faster than anyone could see ,a small white object collided with the side of the guys head knocking him once again to the ground. Upon closer inspection Jean could tell that it was a baseball.

"Bobby!" she cried

Bobby Drake and Jubilee stood at the entrance to the alley wearing identical smirks, Bobby with his hand still in the pitching position.

"So what do'ya say Lee I think that was definitely a strike."

"Hmph you're dreamin again frosty, that was a foul at best."

And then without wasting anymore time she used his back as a sort of springboard leaping into the middle of the fight, and delivering a crushing kick to one of the stunned guys.

_For once I'm glad that they didn't listen_ Jean thought with a smile, and then feeling the grip loosen on her chest she drew her arms back and sunk her elbows into the thugs stomach. With a satisfying ooff! sound he promptly let her go and fell to the ground.

In the meantime Bobby had rushed over to deal with the last remaining member of the gang, but before they could finish him and off and get back to the van before Storm noticed that they were gone ,a shot rang out that ceased all motion.

The first guy that had been knocked to the ground twice was tired of playing around. in his hand was a 9mm pistol pointed at the sky where he had just fired his first warning shot. And then turning the gun towards the collapsed girl he spoke in a deadly whisper.

"You kids have been fucking with the wrong guy. Now, nobody moves ,or I'll blow her head clean off."

Tension filled the cramped space as Jean, Bobby, and Jubilee had no choice but to back off and put their hands in the air.

_Nobody use their powers got it? We can't take the chance, he might fire before we can hit him!_ Jean said in an urgent telepathic message._ I'm going to try and contact Storm. Storm Storm where are-_

But her thought was cut short, by the sound of the gun being cocked and aimed at her.

"Heh heh, you hit me, and that girl over there is the reason that my buddy has a concussion." he said glancing over at Jubilee. Jean felt sick inside because of her, her friends and that girl might die.

"So you don't like us messing with helpless girls huh? Well you two aren't that helpless. So what'dya say red howsabout you lose that shirt?"

Jean was stunned and felt paralyzed.

"Unless you want somethin' bad to happen to her." he said nodding his head towards Jubilee and as he did one of the men pulled out a knife and put it to her throat.

"Don't do it Jean, we can take these guys." she responded fiercely but the pressure of the blade on her neck silenced any further talk.

Jean knew that there was a good chance that she could use her powers before the guy could fire, but that wasn't what worried her. She knew that if she used her powers in public she'd risk undoing all the work the Professor had done to keep the anonymous, and she just couldn't do that. She hesitated for a second longer and then reached down to lift her shirt up.

"That's not the way you should treat a lady on the first date." came a voice from the entrance of the alleyway.

Standing there with their arms folded were Scott and Alex Summers.

"Great more brats, and who the hell are you two?"

While they were talking Jean saw the man's eyes shift over to the intruders, and with a sideways glance at Jubilee they made their move.

"I don't know who you think you are but like I said before you're f-"

But before he could finish his threat Jean grabbed his arm and twisted until a sickening crack was heard and he dropped the gun, a few feet away Jubilee did something similar, but she chose to top it off by ramming her guys face into the wall.

"Thanks for the distraction you two, it really helped."

"Uh you're welcome," Scott said somewhat lamely, somehow he had imagined himself swooping in and making the save at the last minute. Noticing the taken aback expression on his face Jean smiled slightly and thought to herself,_ male egos, _before getting started on the creep with the gun.

"Now what were you saying about helpless girls?" she asked threateningly twisting his arm again, and listening to him squeal.

"Ow! Ow! I'm sorry I was wrong! Ow! Just let me go you crazy bitch!"

"Wrong answer!"

Smiling to themselves in a bemused sort of way Alex turned to Scott.

"Some hero's we were huh?"

"Yeah tell me about it."

-------------------------

It was a few minutes later and after subduing the would be rapists they let them go scurrying off. It was now that Scott decided to make a move while Alex was busy talking to Jubilee and Bobby, who was incidentally becoming annoyed by the way Alex kept flipping his hair, and even more so by the way that Jubilee seemed to enjoy.

_Maybe I should grow my hair out_. Bobby thought sadly fingering his cropped hair.

"Hey those were nice moves back there, I think you made that guy cry." Scott said struggling to think of something to say to Jean as she moved over to the fallen girl.

"Thanks, but I couldn't have done it if you hadn't distracted him-" she hesitated not knowing his name.

"Scott, my name's Scott, and that's my brother Alex over there."

"Well it's nice to meet you both, my name's Jean."

They looked at each other for a moment as the awkward silence was broken by a groan from the girl.

"What's wrong with her?" Scott asked.

"I don't know she looks sick, help me move some of this trash out of the way so we can give her some room."

"Hey Alex help me move some of this stuff."

After a few moments the teens had managed to clear out a small space.

"Hey she's waking up."

The girl's eyes fluttered open in surprise as she tried to back away from the gaggle of strangers.

"It's okay ,it's okay they're gone." Jean said in a pacifying tone.

"Who are you? Where am Ah?" she said in a heavy southern accent dripping with fear.

"It's okay," Jean said again, 'We're not going to hurt you, my name is Jean, and these are my friends."

The girl stared up at Jean through heavily lidded eyes and seemed unable to get up.

"Can you stand?" Jean asked in a concerned voice

Jean's question seemed to snap her back into reality.

"Ah'm fine really, just got a little dehydrated that's all, really Ah'm fine."

She then tried to stand but it seemed her legs wouldn't support her, so she ended up leaning on the wall for support. When hands reached out to help her she waved them away anxiously.

"Don't touch me! Ah mean, Ah'm alright Ah just need a little rest."

"You don't look alright." Scott said, "You look like you're about to pass out."

"Scott's right," Jean chimed in, "Please let us take you to the hospital you're not well."

The girl then lifted herself off the wall, and tried her best to steady her shaking legs, as she tried to push past them.

"Hey don't just walk away we're trying to help you!" Alex said angrily grabbing her wrist to stop her.

"ARRRGGNNNNN!!!"

Immediately when he touched her skin they both started screaming in apparent agony. and though they were in pain they seemed glued together both unable to move ,seeing this Jean stepped in and tried to push the girl away from Alex, inadvertently touching the girl herself.

"AGGHHHHH!!!!!" Jean screamed as thoughts and memories that weren't hers flooded into her brain.

FLASH! A blind woman sitting at a table dictating entries into a diary.

FLASH! A pale faced teen staring pensively at a single streak of white hair on her head.

FLASH! A cold examining table, and a man with three horizontal scars across his face staring down.

FLASH! A green haired girl struggling as hands throttled her neck.

And after every scene the name "Rogue" seemed to dance in front of Jeans eyes, and then it stopped. Someone had knocked Jean and Alex to the ground, it turned out to be Scott.

Bobby, Jubilee, and Scott stared as the strange girl backed away clutching her head in pain.

"Ugh! Ah told you not ta touch mah skin!" she screamed as objects in the alley began to shake.

"What have you done!?" Scott screamed all concern gone from his voice, "What have you done to my brother!?"

In a rage he then fired a powerful optic blast that strangely seemed to have no effect on the girl.

"What the-" he began

"Jean...wake up! Jean!" Jubilee cried her voice filled with concern as she and Bobby crouched next to the unconscious psychic.

"Damn it!" Bobby said through gritted teeth as he helped Scott in his assault by firing a blast of ice towards the girl. Instead of freezing her solid it simply bounced off a seemingly invisible barrier.

_That's almost like Jean's force field! _he thought.

"Stay away from me!" The girl screamed and then from her hands she fired an orange blast that hit Bobby square in the chest and sent him sprawling.

"ARRGGHHHH!!!!!!" The girl screamed and as she did the whole alley began to shake. Then suddenly everyone was thrown off their feet by a wave of psychic fury and knocked out.

"Oh mah Gawd, what's happenin ta me?" she cried to herself surveying the destruction, "Am Ah losin mah mind, there's big gaps in my mem'ry, and I don't even know where Ah was today! Ah've gotta get outta here, before someone shows up!"

And with that she ran off down the other side of the alley.

--------------------------------

Not far away, a blind woman of about the age of forty sat at her couch drinking tea listening for the sound of her companion. She heard the rustle of the curtains and knew that she must have come in through the window. A tawny colored cat sidled up beside the woman, rubbing up against her legs, in the way that only a cat can. The woman scratched the cat behind it's ears before speaking.

"You know Raven, you could always just come through the door, you know it's always open."

The cat reared on it's hind legs as it transformed into the blue shape shifter known as Mystique, who then preceded to brush her lips softly across the blind woman's.

"You know I think the window is more romantic Destiny, now we don't have much time-"

"I _know_ exactly how much time we have for this conversation Raven, I have foreseen it." she said tolerantly.

Mystique smiled slightly then sat down beside her lover.

"What is it Destiny, it's not like you to call when you know Magneto-"

"It is Rogue." Destiny said interrupting her again.

"What about Rogue?" Mystique asked concern growing in her voice.

"She hasn't come home in the last two days, and in my visions our future with her grows dim." she answered gravely.

Mystique stood up abruptly.

"Not if I can help it!" she said angrily, before a hand from Destiny silenced her.

"Visions of Rogue are not all that trouble me Raven, the other seeds you have sown have come into my sight."

Mystique sat down again taken aback at the news but she remained silent.

"Graydon, a dark shadow that envelopes you both is moving closer, I fear that only one of you will emerge." she said.

Hesitantly, Mystique asked about the other.

"And what about...what about-"

"Kurt," Destiny answered for her, "Young Wagner moves ever closer searching for something...or someone." she finished.

For a moment Mystique didn't say anything.

"This dark shadow you speak of involving Graydon, what is it?"

"I know not what it is, but I do know that neither of you will emerged unscathed."

After these warnings Mystique and Destiny sat there in silence for a few minutes thinking. Outside the rustling of a bush seemed to snap Mystique and Destiny out of their reverie.

"Raven I must ask you, why do you continue to follow Magneto, when we both know that our future doesn't lie with him."

"He has something that I want Destiny, something that we could use to make our future come true, and for now I have to play along with his little game."

"Well-well-isn't-this-interesting." came a snide voice from the now open door.

"You!?" Mystique screamed.

She hadn't even heard the hyper fast teen sneak up on them.

"Yeah me. Now-don't-get-your-panties-in-a-bunch-"Raven",-oh-and-by-the-way-love-the-name-babe. I'm-an-invited-guest-here.

Mystique turned towards Destiny with a look of outrage on her face.

"You invited _him_ here!? What were you thinking he's Magneto's son, he'll ruin everything!"

Destiny took a sip of her tea before answering.

"Calm yourself Raven, while our future may not lie with his father, it does lie with him."

Mystique then stared back and forth between the two trying to see whether this wasn't some feeble joke. Then she realized that in all the years she had known Destiny, she had rarely known her to joke. And seeing the stony expression on her face, Raven realized that if Destiny said Pietro was part of their future, Pietro was part of their future. So she turned towards him waiting for an answer.

"Futures-looking-bright-ain't-it-babe."

End of Chapter 10

It's been awhile hasn't it so I guess I've got a little explaining to do. So I'll just get right down do it, college costs money alot of money, so in order to pay for college certain things had to go ,things like the internet. Yeah sucks don't it. Well once I was cut off from the virtual world I kinda lost interest in writing this story, a mistake on my part. I figured if I couldn't update regularly there was no point in writing it. I figured that I had the right to just quit when I wanted to, and for that I apologize. I didn't realize that this story had taken such a life of it's own, and that it was my responsibility as a writer to continue, no matter the circumstances. So I've decided that some way somehow, I will finish this story and get it out to you all. If I have to look like a bum, constantly over at someone's house typing it and uploading it, then God damn it I will have to look like a bum. Now this does mean that I may not be able to answer PM's questions or emails promptly, but please don't let that deter you from writing them, I promise that I will try to answer all questions. Well now that that's taken care of, I'm gonna get back to what I'm good at and thats writing till next time see ya.

P.S. make sure you check out my other stories that I've just posted along with this one, most of them are one-shot but they're good.

P.S.S.

I don't usually do previews, but this time I can't resist. Next chapter my favorite character is gonna make his first but definitely not last appearance. Have fun guessing who it is, I'll give you a little hint though, he's the only X men i know of that has a connection with both Sabretooth, and Sinister, till next time, and oh yeah if you figure it out, don't go saying who it is when you leave a review, that's just rude.


	11. Chapter 11 Growing Pains

-1Author's note

All right everyone here's chapter 11, btw I know the numbering is a little off, but just go with it it's a lot easier. And as we all know, I don't own Marvel, though I've heard that if you rub the bald spot on Stan Lee's head he gives you three wishes.

Chapter 11 Growing Pains

"Ughhh...who turned out the lights?" Scott groaned as he regained consciousness. Around him the other teens were also getting up, attempting as he was to shake off the effects of whatever that weird girl had done to them. All but two.

"Alex!" Scott cried rushing over to his fallen brother who had still not risen.

"Come on bro, wake up this isn't funny!" he said desperately as he shook his younger brother trying to awaken him. A few feet away Bobby and Jubilee were going through a similar ordeal with Jean.

"Jean get up!"

"Alex!"

Slowly and painfully the two sat up groaning as they felt the aches all over their bodies.

"Ughh man Scott, next time you see a hot girl we are definitely going to introduce ourselves from a safe distance."

"Aw man you had me scared there for a minute!" Scott said as he graciously wrapped his brother in a bone crunching hug.

"Ow! Hey I'm alive! Don't kill me by hugging me to death!"

"You sure you're alright Jean?" Jubilee asked with an air of uncertainty, as she helped her friend to her feet.

Jean rubbed her head slightly, trying to think, it felt like she was missing something, like she had the pieces to a puzzle but she couldn't quite figure out how to put them together. She needed time to think. She needed time to concen-

"JEAN!!" Bobby and Jubilee screamed in unison, concerned expressions covering their young faces.

"Wha-Oh! Sorry you guys, guess I just spaced out there for a sec, really I'm fine." she added trying to soothe the worried look on Jubilee's face.

"Anybody know how long we were out for?" Bobby asked to no-one in particular.

Looking down at his watch, Alex told them that they had been out for ten minutes.

"Crap!" Jubilee said slapping her hand to her forehead, "Storm's gonna kill us!"

"Which is why we _need_ to get back, right now!" Jean said taking charge, then addressing the two strangers that had saved her, "Sorry we have to cut this short, but if we don't get back, a headaches's the last thing we'll have to worry about."

"Don't sweat it, it's cool." Scott said in a slightly disappointed voice, "I mean we've got to get going to. Our uh..chaperone-" he said for lack of a better word, "-is not exactly the kinda guy you keep waiting."

Jean smiled at him, and Scott felt his insides churn as she waved goodbye, while inside his head a struggle was taking place.

"Well, can't say it's been fun meeting you, but still take care!" Jubilee said as she started to exit with Jean.

For some reason Alex wore a look of mingled annoyance, and pity as he looked up at his older brother.

"Yeah, it's been fun." Bobby added as the three turned the corner, and out of sight.

Scott stood there for a moment with a far off look in his eye.

Sighing, Alex thought,_ He's way worse off than I could of thought._ And then looking down he spotted Bobby's baseball, and got an idea.

"Hey bro," he said, and getting no response he nudged his brother in the ribs snapping him back to the real world, "That kid left his baseball, why don't you return it to _them."_

"Yeah great idea!" Scott said snatching up the ball, his face shining, practically sprinting out of the alley to catch up.

_Good grief,_ Alex though as he strolled behind Scott.

In a few moments Scott managed to catch up, out of breath he doubled over, while Jubilee shot him a quizzical look, Bobby eyed him with the same pitiful look Alex had, and Jean merely smiled.

"You forgot your ball." he said panting, and then straightening up, he brushed past the two younger mutants.

"Jean I know you're probably busy, but I was just wondering, if you'd wanna..I don't know hook up later or something." he blurted out, sweat gathering in his palms.

Jean contemplated for a minute, as she tried to ignore the sly looks Bobby and Jubilee were shooting over Scott's shoulder.

"Today's not really that good-" she began

"Oh, that's cool I mean-"

"But tomorrow ,I'm free!" She said brightly interrupting Scott, "How about the foodcourt in the mall?"

"Yeah the foodcourt that'll be great!" Scott said positively beaming, as Bobby and Jubilee both groaned at the thought of the mall. "Six O'clock sound good?"

"Perfect!" Jean said scrawling done her number quickly on a piece of paper and handing it to him, "Now I _really_ need to be going. I can't get grounded if I have date tomorrow!"

She then flashed another smile as she ran back to the van, where a clearly irate Storm awaited.

"Guess we'll be seeing more of each other then!" Jubilee yelled to Alex who had hung back the past few minutes, before she ran to catch up with Jean.

"_Guess we'll be seeing more of each other then!_" Bobby said bitterly mocking Jubilee as he too made his back to the van, but before he had gotten out of ear-shot, he heard Alex mention something about needing to get back before Magneto kills them.

_Hopefully he will. _Bobby thought spitefully recalling how Jubilee had looked at Alex._ The less I see of that Alex guy the better._

A few feet back the Summers brothers ran back o the rendezvous point where Magneto's orbs would pick them up, while Alex berated Scott for wasting so much time. To tell the truth though Scott could care less, Magneto was the last thing on his mind, he had gotten a date. And with that thought warming him, he jumped high in the air pumping his fist in triumph. while Alex gave him another pitiful look, before smiling in spite of himself.

----------------------------

Hank paced around morosely before settling back onto the couch.

_I did the right thing, it only would have ended in heartache._ He thought firmly trying to convince himself. On top of his coffee table was a solitary white rose sitting in a vase. Trying to cheer himself up he lifted the rose out of it's home as gently as he could, but still his grip was too hard and the stem snapped.

"RAARGGHHH!!!" he cried in rage and frustration flinging the now dead flower across the room.

"This is why I cannot be with Storm, or with people for that matter! They'll only end up like that flower!"

As Beast was going to resume pacing a series of loud knocks echoed at his door.

_It's only her again._ He thought wretchedly, _I can't go through that, not again._

He tried to ignore the knocking, but for the next two minutes it continued unceasingly until he relented.

"Alright, alright I'll open it-"

He stopped short of finishing his sentence when he opened the door and was shocked at what, or rather who he saw.

He was a tall man in his late teens or early twenties, he stood with hands in the pockets of the trench coat he was wearing. When Beast had opened the door he was tapping the toe of one his white boots against the frame while he rapidly shuffled a deck of cards between his hands. Hank's first reaction was to think that this man looked like a stray dog, rough yet savvy.

"You lookin' mighty _blue_ today Doc, whatsamatter lady troubles?" he spoke in a southern drawl, that belied the intelligence in his curiously red eyes. The shock was plain in Hank's face, but still he managed to recover his wits and tried to lunge for the stranger.

"Oh come on, now dat's no way ta be treatin' a client!" The man said as he flipped over Hank's back, and into the apartment with sprite like agility.

"Who are you!?" Hank snarled, his heart pounding like a jackhammer in his gargantuan chest.

"You never gave me a chance ta introduce mahself," he said with a smirk, "Where Ah come from, folks consider it rude ta invite someone in when ya don' even kno' their name. But Ah s'pose ya'll doctor types are like dat sometimes." he added giving an appraising look to his surroundings, mentally trying to calculate how much some of Beast's valuables would be worth.

"Nice place ya got here."

"Leave now, and forget what you've seen!" Beast hissed through gritted teeth, trying to contain his animal instincts, that told him to rip the smart mouthed punk to shreds.

"Can' do dat Doc," he said shaking his auburn head, "Like Ah said Ah'm a client o' yours."

"I've never met you before in my life," Hank answered savagely, "And if you don't leave cooperatively, I shall be forced to throw you out!"

The man chuckled for a moment before speaking again.

"Me and you Doc? We kindred spirits you kno' dat," he said ignoring Beast's threat, before taking a card out of his deck, the Ace of Spades and holding it in front of his face staring at it intently.

"Both unable ta touch the things we love, outta fear o' destroyin' em," he continued speaking ,dropping the nonchalant manner of speech he previously used, and switching to a more sincere tone. And as he talked the card began to glow bright red, until the man decided to let it drop to the carpet. Once it hit, it went up in flames taking about a square foot of carpet with it.

"Ya see Doc, Ah'm a mutant too jus' like you."

Beast stared at the singed carpet for a moment before closing the door behind him.

"Who are you?" he asked again some of the anger gone from his voice.

The man smiled and went back to his normal slick way of talking, but Hank made a mental note of the way he sounded when he spoke before.

"Name's Remy, but mos' folks jus' call me Gambit."

"Gambit...Gambit...I've heard that name before.." Hank said scratching his chin searching his brain.

"Perhaps it was from the lips of a pouty faced stewardess, Ah travel alot." Gambit responded trying to cut Hank off.

"No that's not it...it was a paper! I recently read in America's Top Science weekly that a museum in New Orleans had to cancel their grand opening because their prized exhibit, a rare Diamond from the mines of Sweden had been pilfered! They say the thief has struck several other areas in New Orleans and across the south, and that he always leaves a playing card behind."

"My my," Gambit said slightly bemused, "Ah'm glad ta see news of mah exploits have spread dis far."

"You seem proud." Beast said with a sneer.

"Why shouldn't Ah be? It's who Ah am." he responded now leaning on his telescopic staff for support. "Man who raised me always used ta say, 'Remy you be proud o' who you are, you may be a thief, but dat don't mean dat you ain't jus' as good as anybody else,' "

Beast was taken aback by the thief's words, while in his head he kept thinking, _who I am, who I am._

"Ahem," Gambit said clearing his throat loudly, "Ah hate ta break up your egghead train o' thought but Ah really mus' get down ta business."

"Ah yes," Beast said awakening from his trance, "What does the master thief want with a simple ogre like myself?"

"Firs' o' all, Ah kno' that behind that blue fur, is one o' the leadin researchers in genetics in this country. An' Ah also kno' dat you're probably de only one dat can help me." he said changing his tone once more into a business like drawl.

_What a capricious individual._ Beast thought.

"Go on."

Now that Hank seemed more interesting in helping, and less interested in throwing him out of the window Gambit opened up a little, letting a small amount of sincerity slip into his voice.

"It's mah powers, lately it's like they been on overdrive or somethin', Ah can't touch nothin' without it blowin' up."

Beast considered for a second, before speaking.

"How long have you had your powers, when did they first manifest."

"Shoot, since Ah was 14 ,so bout five years now."

"Hmm.. are you under any stress, work related, love life, children?"

"Ho! Ol' Gambit ain't got no rugrats runnin' round, an' don' plan on it neither. As fo' love well, there was dis one girl dat had me wrapped up pretty tight, fore it all went ta hell. But hey Ah'm over it, there's always another one round de corner. An' work well, ah ain't never had no problems gettin mah hands on mah merchandise, but now Ah gotta worry bout keepin mah hands _off_ lest Ah wan' it to blow." he said.

For a moment Beast paced back and forth thinking deeply.

"And you say you've had your powers for about five years now?"

"Uh-uh."

Beast paced some more before speaking again, this time more kindly and slowly, similar to the way a Doctor tells a patient bad news.

"I can't be certain without running a wide spectrum of tests, but...I suspect that this..ah..lack of control over your powers is the next stage in your evolution."

"What are you sayin' McCoy." Gambit said dangerously his face falling.

Hesitating for a moment but refusing to be intimidated Hank continued.

"I'm saying that this may just be the nature of your powers, Remy I'm sorry."

"Heh, Ah get it, it's de _nature o' mah powers_ right." Gambit said harshly a sardonic smile marring his otherwise handsome features, "Ah though Ah had you pegged different, guess ya'll scientist types are de same. Alright, why don' you jus tell ol Remy what it is dat ya want, and ah'll steal it for ya, after ya mix mah powers."

Beast eyes narrowed dangerously and his voice grew colder as he spoke.

"I'm not that kind of person Gambit, and I'd appreciate it if you'd leave I've had a rough day and I would enjoy nothing more than too just curl up with the Bard and waste away the evening."

Gambit gave a short bark like laugh.

"Aw come on Doc, you can' play me. Rough day huh, Ah saw dat firm piece o' loveliness step outta here a few minutes ago. What happened she say she didn't care if you had a rubber, she jus' wanted a bag to go over ya face." he said viciously. However as soon as Gambit had said the words he knew he had instantly crossed the line ,because Hank's eyes grew dark and he started to bare his fangs a little.

"Alright, Ah'm sorry fo' dat one it was cross de line. An' now ah see dat you ain't de type to be bought off. But there's gotta be somethin' Ah can do fo' ya Doc, Ah'm desperate here." he said and indeed the desperation was tangible in his voice, but Hank merely remained silent and glared at him.

"Ah mean maybe, I could help you out with dat lady friend o' yours, you know whisper in ya ear what to say."

This time it was Hank's turn to give a harsh laugh.

"The day you are my Cyrano ,Gambit, is the day I dye my fur purple and start calling myself Barney. Now I suggest you leave."

Knowing he had lost ,Gambit strolled past Hank and stood in the doorway for a moment before turning back towards Hank.

"You're makin' a mistake McCoy." he said in a deadly whisper.

Hank chuckled a little.

"The only mistake I have made my dear Fagan, was opening this door, goodbye."

SLAM!

-------------------------

Storm slammed her door in anger before turning to glare at the three offenders sitting in her van, struggling to look innocent.

_Uh oh Auntie Em, there's a storm coming._ Jean thought.

"Now correct me if I'm mistaken, but I could have _sworn _that I left you explicit instructions, to remain here and refrain from using your powers." Storm said dangerously as the three teens cowered slightly, clinging to their seatbelts for hope.

"And yet, when I return lo and behold you're gone!" she continued as she stuck the key in the ignition with a little more aggression than normal. She then took several steadying breaths knowing that if she let her anger get control, it would mean trouble, Storm usually had little problem controlling her emotions, but her talk with Hank had thrown everything out of whack.

"What you did was brave, noble even." she began a forced calm in her voice, while the faces of her passengers began to rise slightly, "But it was also incredibly reckless, and dangerous!"

She finished staring at Jean.

Feeling guilty Bobby tried to defend Jean.

"Look Storm it wasn'-"

"No, Bobby it was my fault Storm told me to stay put, and regardless of the circumstances I disobeyed her and put us all in danger. If you're going to blame anyone blame me." Jean interrupted.

A silence fell through the vehicle as all three of the teens hung their heads. Storm sighed before cranking the engine and pulling out of the parking spot. For a few minutes no-one said anything until Storm turned off the radio and spoke.

"I am not blaming anyone, and certainly no of you will be punished for helping a defenseless girl, but I just wished that you all could comprehend the gravity of the choices you make."

The others lifted their heads as they listened to her words.

"I suppose it's my fault, sometimes I forget that you are young, and with youth comes a certain...need to act ,rather than think. What you all did today was heroic, but you could have been killed, or worse. Don't get me wrong I am not discouraging the behavior, but I just wish you would have put more thought into it that's all. Running off half-cocked is a good way to die, believe me I've seen it happen." she finished darkly.

"We know Storm, and you're right. Trust us when we tell you that it won't happen again." Jean said graciously as the other two nodded their heads in agreement.

Storm smiled slightly as they drove on.

"So, the just the three of you against five armed men huh?"

And for the next few minutes they told Storm with much enthusiasm, the details of their adventure.

"I see." Storm said clearly amused by their antics, "And what of the two boys that saved you.?"

"They didn't _save_ us Storm come on, that whole damsel in distress crap is _so _last century." Jean said with a playful roll of her eyes. "And anyways after they _helped_ us and we woke up they said they had somewhere to be and left." she finished quickly turning her stare away from Storm.

"Are you sure that's _all_ that happened Jean?" Storm asked coyly.

"Yeah pretty sure." Jean said still avoiding looking directly at her.

"Really, Jubilee, why don't you tell me what happened."

Jubilee hesitated for a second, and gave a nervous glance to Jean before blurting it out.

"Jean's going on a date with the tall one! And I think the cute one with the surfer accent might be there too, so I'm tagging along!" she said quickly and excitedly ignoring Bobby's scowl, "Sorry Jean," she finished apologetically.

"Well, well do I hear wedding bells for my favorite student?" Storm said enjoying the embarrassment she was inflicting upon Jean, especially considering her earlier remarks.

"Ughh, this is why I didn't want to tell you," Jean said her cheeks going pink, "I knew you'd use it to get me back after what I said about you and Hank."

Wincing slightly at the thought of Hank, Storm aimed to steer the conversation into less intimate territory.

"I'm actually surprised I haven't met him before. From what Bobby and Jubilee tell me he's a mutant too." Jean continued thinking along the same lines as Storm.

"A mutant?" Storm said her curiosity piqued, "What was his na-"

Before she could finish her question her phone rang, answering it with her free hand she began speaking, and the longer she spoke the darker her expression became, after about thirty seconds she hung up the phone, and took a u turn back to the mansion.

"Where are we going now?" Bobby asked.

"That was Forge." Storm answered tersely her expression still dark, "He says that there will be no need to visit Ms. Dane at her home. She's decided to pay _us _a visit." She then turned towards Jean, "I hope you haven't lost that fighting spirit, she's not happy."

And with that ominous statement she sped off towards the X mansion.

-------------------------------------------

Alex lay back on his bed that evening, reflecting on the day as he listened to Bob Marley. Magneto hadn't been pleased by their tardiness, and he assured them that if they were to remain on Sanctuary they needed to show more maturity. Alex had felt slightly uneasy when they had told him what they were up to today. For some reason Scott had left out the part where the girl did something weird to them and knocked them all out. He also left out the fact the other three teens were mutants too.

_What gives man?_ Alex thought as he remembered questioning Scott about why he had lied to Magneto. His brother's response was a shrug of the shoulders and a nonchalant, "he didn't need to know."

_This is bogus man, Magneto's done so much for us, we shouldn't be lyin' to him like this._

He then began to sit up slowly, he still had a huge headache, when he saw that he had an audience. Turning off his headphones he spoke to his would be fan.

"Need help with something man?" he said coldly not getting up from his bed.

Pietro chuckled as he leaned against the frame for support.

"Just-saw-you-dorks-getting-chewed-out-by-Magneto-earlier,-thought-you-could-use-a-shoulder-to-cry-on." he said a smirk on his face.

"No thanks bro, I'm cool, now if that's all you ca-"

"Listen-up-_bro._" Pietro said, the smirk sliding from his face leaving an ugly , vindictive look, "Magneto's-not-some-dumb-fieldtrip-chaperone-he-knows-when-he's-being-lied-to,-I-know-him-better-than-_any_-of-you-he-won't-tolerate-that-kinda-crap-for-long!"

Alex got up finally wincing as he felt the bruises all of over his body.

"What gives? Why are you telling me this ,I thought you didn't like Magneto?" he shot back trying to use aggression to hide his puzzlement.

"I-don't." he said simply, "I'm-just-giving-you-a-little-advice-from-someone-that's-fallen-out-of-his-favor,-it-ain't-pretty. Mess-up-one-too-many-times-and-he'll-drop-you-faster-than-I-can-talk. That's-the-kind-of-person-he-is-pure-scum!" he finished disgustedly.

Alex shook his head violently, which only caused more pain before speaking.

"How can you say that he's your father isn't he!?" he said angrily.

"Cause-it's-the-truth."

Alex grunted in frustration, the thought that someone could hate their father infuriated him.

"If you hate him so much, then why are you helping him!?"

"Working for, and respecting someone are two different things." Pietro responded coldly and slowly, "Besides-I've-got-my-reasons." he finished with another smirk.

Alex couldn't think of anything else too say, so he just laid back down and turned his ipod back on.

"I-see-I've-given-your-little-brain-alot-to-think-about. I'll-let-you-sleep-on-it." Pietro said as he exited the room, the automatic door closing behind him.

For a second Alex sat there fuming, then without warning he ripped the device from his ears and flung it at the door, shattering it.

"Jerk."

---------------

Scott lay sound asleep in his bed a few rooms over, the first good night sleep he had in a while. Silently the door opened and a figure stood silhouetted in the doorway. The figure stared at him for a moment before moving in with unnatural speed, closing the door behind him.

"This-one-seems-like-he-has-more-sense-than-the-other." Pietro said to himself recalling how Scott had handled himself in the presence of Magneto. He then stood for a moment seemingly contemplating something.

"But-still-I-don't-think-I-want-either-of-these-dweebs-with-me-they're-way-too-naive." he said nastily. Then he held out two fingers and placed them at Scott's left temple.

"I-wonder-what-would-happen-to-your-little-brain-if-I-vibrated-my-fingers-at-the-speed-of-sound-against-your-head?" he paused for a moment considering whether or not he would kill Scott.

"No,-I'd-rather-you-suffer-through-Magneto. Then-we'll-see-how-high-and-mighty-you-two-are." he answered himself, removing the fingers and moving to the exit. At the door way he gave Scott one last look before leaving.

_One more stop._ He thought as he moved a few doors down the hall bypassing Logan's door, and stopping at the next one. Mystique's room.

He walked in confidently without knocking, and was greeted with the smell of scented candles burning. He scanned the room searching for Mystique, remembering that she could be _anything._ He didn't have to look long ,on her bed sat the same cat that had strode into Destiny's house, upon noticing the teen the cat ceased grooming itself and transformed into Mystique who was wearing very little.

"The-candles-are-a-nice-touch." Pietro commented not taking his eyes off her.

She merely smiled at him before stretching into a more revealing position.

"What's-this-all-about-Mystique?"

Mystique smiled at him again before answering seductively,

"Isn't it obvious," she purred, "For someone so quick you are rather slow. Earlier at Destiny's place when you agreed to help us, you said you wanted compensation. Well, here I am you reward."

Pietro raised an eyebrow but didn't move forward.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you've gotten cold feet. I can be anyone you want." she said as she rapidly morphed into a variety of beautiful women.

"Flattered-but-that-isn't-what-I-after-babe."

"Oh," Mystique said smiling again, "Then maybe this is what you're into." she said playfully transforming herself into a variety of _men_ this time.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa-time-out! That-is-_definitely_-not-what-I'm-after!" he said backing away.

"Then what is it?!" Mystique said dropping all of the tenderness out her voice as she shifted back to her normal blue self.

Pietro reached into his back pocket and pulled out a picture, then walking over to her he handed Mystique the photo.

"I-don't-want-you-to-transform-into-her!" he added quickly.

Mystique studied it for a second, before a flicker of understanding dawned in her eyes.

"I see interesting, and this is what you want?" she asked curiously looking up at him.

"Yeah-I-figure-it's-the-easiest-way-for-both-of-us-to-get-what-we-want."

"All right boy, but she'd better go along with this, for your sake." Mystique said warningly, as she morphed clothes on her body.

"Trust-me-she'll-go-for-it-and-by-the-time-she's-done-all-three-of-us-will-have-what-we-want."

"Now-since-we're-gonna-be-partners-why-don't-seal-the-deal." he added a mischievous grin on his face.

---------------------------------------

Across the hall, Logan sat wide awake having heard everything with his acute animal senses.

_So the brat, and Mystique are playin' Magneto for a fool huh?_

He snorted at the thought.

_We'll see how that pans out. Magneto may be just another trumped up dictator with a Messiah complex the size o' Nevada, but he ain't no fool. It's gonna take a lot ta pull one over on him._

_Oh well, won't effect me, either way I'll come out like I always do, on top. Whoever's left standin' jus' better make sure that they stay outta my way. What am I sayin' by the time this goes down, I'll be long gone. Now that' I've got this._

He then helped a folder that had the word "Classified" stamped over it, opening it up he pulled put the first page.

_With that info Magneto gave me, I've been able to piece together small fragments of my memories. And a few names keep poppin' up. So startin' tomorrow I'm goin' on a little vacation, and while I'm gone, I'm gonna find these names, and make them tell me what they know. One way or another._

Looking at the first name he read aloud the pages contents.

"Born in Russia, soldier for the former Soviet Union, educated in a myriad o' styles. During the cold war he underwent an experimental process, they tried to bond Carbonadium to his bones. It worked, but someone busted up their little victory party and put him on ice. I think that someone was _me_, but I can't remember." he said rubbing his head trying to jar some memories.

"Well, I'll just have to have a chat with Arkady Rossovich, or should I say Omega Red."

----------------------------------------

Unknown location.

Somewhere in a room that was lined with monitors and screens sat a man in a white lab coat. He was watching the screen in front of him with apparent interest.

"How's she doin Doc?" came a gruff voice from behind. It's speaker was a rough looking soldier of about fifty, he wore a uniform decorated with many ribbons and medals, his most distinctive feature however were the scars across his face. Three slash marks that looked like they were made by a bear or some other animal.

"I said _how_ is she doin' Doc?" he said this time more forcefully. the dotor quickly recovered, he could never quite get over his superiors bizarre appearance.

"Polaris is doing well, Colonel Wraith, it seems Xavier is having some significant trouble breaking into her mind."

The Colonel leaned over the doctor's shoulder bringing with him a smell of tobacco and stale drink.

"I only see two of em'. Where are the others at?" he barked.

"Sir, we've gotten word that they are in route, once they reach the mansion there will be six mutants in total."

"Good. Keep me posted we've gotta know everything Xavier's got ta throw at us before we move on him." he responded as he walked over to the next console.

"How's our little Rogue doin'?" he asked the doctor that was sitting there.

"Sir, the implant in causing her severe stress, I believe that if we don't get it out of her soon she will die."

"That's not what I asked, I wanna know how she's doin'."

The doctor hesitated before answering.

"She's brought in several new mutants in the last 48 hours. Counting Polaris, it is four to be exact sir."

"That's more like it." he said gruffly before raising his voice so that all in the room could hear him. "Let's get one thing straight people, these mutants are weapons, and weapons only. As far as I'm concerned my boots are more valuable than them. In short they are expendable." He finished as a door opened and a man stepped in.

He wasn't dressed like the other doctors, nor did he wear the sniveling expression they wore when they spoke to the Colonel. He was clad head to foot in black leather, except for the red shirt he wore under his leather jacket.

"Trask, how's the search for Weapon X goin'?" the Colonel asked.

"Not well, I'm afraid we've lost track of him completely. It's like he disappeared that night he attacked our soldiers." the man called Trask answered.

"You wanted to use him as a test subject for Project Guardian didn't you?"

"Yes," Trask sighed, "But I suppose some other mutant will have to do."

Wraith smiled for a second.

"You're in luck, the boys at S.H.I.E.L.D, have recovered the next best thing. I'll just have the mutant ordered over here, I'll say that we're the only one's equipped to house a prisoner like that. No one'll be the wiser."

Trask raised a dubious eyebrow before speaking,

"You're positive that this mutant will be up to the challenge, I promise you my creation needs a _real_ mutant to fully test it's capabilities. Anything less and you'd might as well put a small child against a Mack truck."

"Trust me Wraith, this guys a freak all right." he then turned to one of the cowardly doctors, "You, get Fury on the horn, tell him, that Colonel John Wraith is _demanding _that he turn Sabretooth over to my custody."

The doctor hastened to comply while Wraith invited Trask to watch the first monitor, as an image of a van pulled up towards the X mansion.

"Now, why don't you kick back and relax. While Polaris shows the X men what a _real_ mutant can do."

End of Chapter 11

Alright hope you liked this chapter, now on to an important announcement. I know, I know, I have an important announcement on practically every chapter, but I promise this one won't piss you off. Due to the fact that Wolverine's story is branching away from the main plot, I've decided not to detail his adventures in the main story. Instead, I'll be writing a sort of side story entitled "Wolverine, Retribution." It will cover all of his exploits until he returns to the main plotline. It won't be absolutely necessary to read it to understand the main story, but it will definitely be a good supplement. So until next time I'll see ya'll later.(look out for Wolverine Retribution sometime soon.)


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